The recent tabling of the “Bermuda Health Council (High Risk Health Technology) Regulations 2024” during last Friday’s session of the House of Assembly has sparked significant concern among healthcare professionals and patients.
HMC Burnaby Urgent Care & Medical Imaging (HMC) strongly opposes the bill, which threatens to restrict access to modern medical technologies and undermine patient care.
“This Amendment seeks to now make it illegal for anyone to import new medical equipment
into Bermuda or to use it without the permission of the Bermuda Health Council.”
Dr. JJ Soares, Director of HMC Burnaby Urgent Care & Medical Imaging, emphasizes the
detrimental impact of this legislation. “This amendment serves to further entrench outdated
technologies in our healthcare system while limiting healthcare providers’ ability to innovate.
The Health Minister and Bermuda Health Council seem more focused on controlling doctors than on enhancing patient care or the quality of medical services. If they had their way,
facilities like ours, which provide cutting-edge medical care, would not exist -HMC had to
spend the better part of 5 years just for the right to bring its facility and its technologies to
Bermuda patients as a Standard Health Benefit service.”
The Bermuda Health Council’s historic and continued disregard for the age and effectiveness
of medical equipment raises alarming questions about their commitment to patient health.
The Council’s continued failure to address the out-of-date diagnostic equipment still being
operated on this island and patient convenience only adds to the growing concern.
“They claim to prioritize safety, yet the technologies they label as ‘high risk’ are notinherently dangerous. This is just inflammatory wording which the Health Council is deliberately deploying to convince the public that there is something “dangerous” out there that they need their protection from. Imaging equipment undergoes rigorous annual inspections and is already subject to extensive and stringent licensing requirements as are the technologists who operate them.” Dr. Soares points out.
One of the most troubling aspects of the new regulations is the Council’s lack of evidence to
support claims that modern technologies will drive up healthcare costs. Instead, it appears the Council is prioritizing the preservation of a declining hospital’s revenue stream, ignoring the reality that Bermuda’s healthcare landscape is evolving and that the private sector has much to offer.
“The two highest unit costs to our health system are overseas referrals, accounting for 12.6% and the hospital itself which accounts for 41.7% of the healthcare budget -together accounting for 54.3%. (National Health Accounts Report released by the Health Council in 2019). Within this same report, the cost attributable to local physicians was a mere 7.8%. For some reason the Health Council chose not to break out the cost of private imaging and laboratory testing on their own. They instead included these in the category of all “Other Health Providers, Services & Appliances”. Even so, this category only amounted to 12.5% of total healthcare expenses with laboratory and imaging constituting only a smaller portion of this.”
“Why isn’t the Health Council focusing on the sectors which are responsible for the lion’s share of health dollar expenses which are the hospital and overseas referrals? Instead of restricting the private sector, we should be empowering it to reduce our reliance on the more costly overseas services and local hospital care.” Dr. Soares argues.
Additionally, the Bermuda Health Council’s approach may inadvertently stifle innovation by forcing healthcare providers to retain outdated technologies. “By restricting the replacement of older equipment, we are condemning ourselves to a stagnant healthcare environment,” Dr. Soares warns. “The hospital is clearly struggling to keep pace with technology and our community’s healthcare needs as it is. This bill will only exacerbate the issue by hamstringing services that the private sector can provide more efficiently, at a lower cost, at better quality and at greater convenience to the public.”
In recent years, the Bermuda healthcare system has faced a troubling decline, evident in the increasing costs of premiums and the growing number of referrals overseas. Under the Health Council’s oversight, essential services have deteriorated, leaving many patients with limited options. “Instead of finding ways to rein in costs effectively, the Council appears intent on continually punishing the private sector, which ultimately harms patients,” Dr. Soares explains.
The complexities of Bermuda’s healthcare system require a more nuanced approach. “We need to augment the quality of testing and care locally, not restrict it. The private sector is equipped with the latest technologies and can deliver services that the hospital fails to provide,” he states.
Furthermore, Dr. Soares emphasizes the necessity of allowing the market to operate without excessive governmental interference. “Our medical professionals are already licensed, and our facilities adhere to stringent regulations. The Health Council’s attempts to impose additional layers of oversight are unwarranted, redundant and counterproductive.”
In closing, Hamilton Medical Center calls on the Bermuda Government to reconsider the implications of the “Bermuda Health Council (High Risk Health Technology) Regulations 2024”. We advocate for a healthcare system that promotes innovation, prioritizes patient care, and allows private practices to thrive. The time has come to modernize Bermuda’s healthcare landscape and ensure that all patients receive the quality care they deserve.
For more information about HMC Burnaby Urgent Care & Medical Imaging and our commitment to advanced patient care, please visit our website at www.hmc.bm.
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.