Shetty hospital chief defends doctor’s credentials
Dr Chandy Abraham
(CNS): The CEO and head of medical services at Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI) has defended the qualifications and experience of his doctors after the Department of Health Regulatory Services refused a freedom of information request to release details of the medical staff at the hospital. Dr Chandy Abraham described his team as “highly qualified doctors and medical professionals who provide world-class medical care to patients” and pointed out that detailed credentials of all of HCCI doctors can be found on the hospital website. He said their qualifications are substantiated by the Health Practice Commission (HPC) and licensed by the Medical and Dental Council (MDC).
The hospital in East End founded by Dr Devi Shetty is also accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), which vets the qualifications and experience of medical professionals at the facility, Dr Abraham said.
In a written statement he said he supported the decision by the HRS, which was upheld by the Information Commissioner’s Office, not to release the details of private individuals who provide their personal information for regulatory purposes, noting that they have a reasonable expectation it would not be disclosed to the public.
“We believe that releasing such personal information to the general public may constitute a breach of privacy, and has little relevance unless there is a suspicion of wrongdoing, albeit, this information has been accessible via our website from our inception,” he said. “Health City Cayman Islands will provide patients and prospective patients any information with regard to our doctors’ credentials, upon request.”
The senior doctor added that the “proof of the pudding is in the eating” and said the hospital had “proven this time and time again by the high-end services that it provides”.
Category: Health, Medical Health
There is reasonable expectation that a patient knows which medical school his/her doctor studied at. What do they have to hide?
You can buy your way into medical school in India. How many of there HC doctors purchased admission into medical schools? The data released will mention the medical school – so one could figure out if they attended a private medical school where admission can be purchased.
Caymanian Medical Students on the other hand have to compete with the best and brightest to get into Medical Schools. On top of that Medical education is not cheap.
History shows that the majority of Caymanian doctors who study overseas never return to Islands due to lack of suitable opportunities. Once cannot blame them…..how can they accept employment as a junior doctor making less than a legal secretary makes in Cayman.
In my time in Cayman, I was treated at HC on a number of occasions, on each of which I was given the best treatment and care imaginable – the standards of skill ,patient care , responsiveness, information given and efficiency are extraordinary. From the moment you arrive until the moment that you leave,and during after care, you are looked after in a way unequalled not just in Cayman, but anywhere else. This you find not just in the medical staff, but in all staff , particularly the staff dedicated to patient care and appointments.Like so many of their patients, I have nothing but admiration and gratitude. Cayman is very fortunate to have a hospital that is not just world class but world beating. As for the desire for private information about the medical staff, their qualifications are public , and their record and their care of their patients are all that is relevant and speak for themselves. The curious desire to pry, and to carp, revealed by some of the comments, whatever might be their motivation, are as repugnant and misconceived as they are foolish, at best. One should just glory in this astonishingly great hospital.
the mystery of this cayman riddle is never ending…..
Don’t you guys have anything else to do? The sun is shining and the sea is blue,what else do you need to be simply happy? You are the luckiest people on the planet!
FOI is good, but don’t go nuts about it.
Establishing a completely separate registration process for the doctors at Health City– because, until that time, the Cayman Islands did not accept Indian medical qualifications– the accusation that “HC doctors are not subjected to the same credentialing as all other doctors was obvious. The way CI government worked around the law was certainly not in the best interests of medical care in Cayman.
Here we go again. People wasting governments time with ridiculous FOI requests and then complain that their real issues are not dealth with in a timely manner.
why because they want to know the quality of doctors working there. maybe you should wonder why they did not jump at the chance to brag about the qualifications of the doctors they have. Or do they?
They actually do brag about their physicians and just listen to the patients…
Defends the credentials. But does not let us know what they are. Mmmmm.
CNS: The link takes you right to the credentials on the HCCI website. They’re right there.
You lunatic; obviously you or anyone in your family has a heart or other health issue or you would know about the great service provided by HCCI in a cost effective and efficient manner.
Health City does provide great medical care. Not sure about “cost effective” as it is heavily subsidized by us, the tax payers of the Cayman Islands through the lifetime duty waivers and other concessions “negotiated” by you know whom. Well before the last general election.
The extensive tax waivers given to Heath City — I’ve heard for at least 50-yesrs — means that a full generation of Caymanians will be subsidizing this private company. Don’t forget to figure this into the cost-effectiveness of medical care at Health City. We’re all propping up their cash flow even though we may never seek treatment there.
link no work…..
CNS: Sorry, It’s fixed now.
This hospital has given better treatment and courtesy to the Cayman people and people from around the globe than George Town hospital has! Does anyone have complaints from Dr. Shettys hospital? I thought as much. If he wants to keep the credentials of his staff within his own HR department so be it! These people have brought nothing but betterment to the island. Stop being “nosey” and let the people do what they do best. Help the sick and injured. The moment you try to change things it will only get worse. This place on an amazing course of action. Just leave it be.
3:11 pm: the story states that the information on credentials is on Health City’s website. That has also been stated by CNS in response to a poster. I wished Dr. Chandy had not sought to defend the decision by the Health Services Department. That muddied the waters a bit. All he needed to have said is what he did — that that information is on the hospital’s website. Period.
I agree 100% about Shetty Hospital versus George Town Hospital its a no brainer….but I am not sure why they are so afraid of their credentials. If you go into a Doctor’s office you see all his degrees, etc on the wall framed. I don’t see this a big deal. People do want to know the experience their doctor has sometimes before surgery, etc. I don’t think this is invading their privacy. People want to ensure their doctor is qualified to do the surgery/treatment that is needed. I don’t think this is an unreasonable request.
its on their website…..
Show the diplomas – not some potentially made up information. India is known for a crooked medical school/examination system where they cheat to get the best rates (just google it – there are even videos proving it – on a literally daily basis). Again: show me the credentials. Is there a reason why Shetty can bypass the credentialing process on Cayman Islands?
Here some literature to read:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33421572
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-medicine-education-specialrepor-idUSKBN0OW1NM20150617
http://www.latimes.com/world/great-reads/la-fg-c1-india-testing-scam-20150717-story.html
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Corruption-high-tech-cheating-mar-India-s-med-school-exams
I actually would vote to ban Indian doctors at ALL from practicing on Cayman – unless they have been trained in QUALIFIED countries.
If I was seriously sick or got injured, I would have no problem whatsoever being taken to Dr. Shetty hospital for medical treatment. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about the George Town public hospital and some of these other medical facilities on the island.
Them Indian doctors are more than qualified to handle just about any medical situation that can arise in the Cayman Islands.
More importantly, the care and treatment comes without unnecessary delay to the patient.
While they are very qualified indeed the problem remains that they do not have an emergency room and people should not just go there in an emergency.
HCCI is not a General Hospital like the GT Hospital or the CTMH thus they do not need an emergency room. It is a specialist hospital and you have to be referred there or be an existing patient. GTH and CTMH being general hospitals do have accident and emergency rooms but if there are any specialist service/treatment that the patient needs that they (or indeed any of the private doctors on the Islands) do not provide, these are usually referred elsewhere. In the past this was usually Miami, but now, thankfully we have HCCI. The services they provide is top class, barring none, especially in the field of cardiology. Caymanians should be proud to have an institution such as HCCI on our Island. Thank you Dr. Shetty!
Yes I do agree. My point is that people want to go to shetty during an emergency. That is not their role. The amount of people that go to ctmh in an emergency is atrocious. They have NO Emergency facility there!!!! The hospital is fine but not for emergencies. If you on,y knew the amount of people that have gone there and had sub par treatment…..woof. Not good.
Education: in an emergency go to the appropriate facility. That is my point, that is all.