CIG concedes on doctors’ qualifications
(CNS): Doctors Hospital, which is challenging government’s deals with medical tourism facilities, secured a partial early victory last week regarding the listing of doctors. During the legal proceedings, the government conceded that a two-tier system had been created because doctors on the ‘Institutional List’ (those working in medical tourism facilities) do not need to meet the same high standards of experience and qualifications as all the other doctors practicing in the Cayman Islands who are on the Principal (general) List.
While there are legal remedies still to be ironed out, Tom Hickman QC, the lawyer representing the government in this case, accepted that all doctors should possess the same or an equivalent level of qualification and experience for registration. He accepted that the Health Practice Regulations in relation to this issue should apply to Institutional List doctors as well as those on the Principal List.
“Until this court hearing, the concern had repeatedly been expressed by the local medical community that doctors on the Institutional List were subject to a far lower level of regulation than doctors on the Principal List, with consequent concerns for patient safety,” a spokesperson for McGrath Tonner, the law firm representing Doctors Hospital, told CNS after the case wrapped up.
She explained this had meant that doctors could be registered to practice here as Institutional List practitioners with potentially very limited experience and qualifications.
The lawyer explained that when Justice Richard Williams delivers his judgment in this case, he will address how this will impact the current legal situation and what remedies need to be implemented by government to create a level playing field.
“But the government’s formal position, as articulated in court last week, means that all doctors registered to practice in Cayman must now possess an appropriate, minimum level of qualification and experience. The ‘second-tier’ Institutional List will effectively be abolished,” she added.
During the judicial review Doctors Hospital raised two areas of concern. One was the major tax breaks given to both Health City Cayman Islands and more recently the proposed Aster Cayman Medcity development which have not been offered to the rest of the medical community. This point is now in the judge’s hands.
The second, now conceded by the CIG, was about how doctors and professionally qualified healthcare providers from these ring-fenced institutions are registered, which has been a source of concern since it was written into the deal that paved the way for Health City. This was signed between then-premier McKeeva Bush and Dr Devi Shetty back in 2010 to get around the problem that India is not one of the seven countries where doctors allowed to practice in Cayman must have trained and gained their qualifications.
During the case, Chris Buttler QC, who argued for the hospital, had said that his client was not accusing Health City doctors of being unqualified but that this two-tier division for medical practitioners paved the way for less experienced doctors and those with lesser qualifications to practice here, undermining standards
The Doctors Hospital said this concession by the government was a “huge win” for the sector because, moving forward, government has accepted that all doctors practicing medicine here, regardless of where they work, will all have to meet the same criteria.
“In our eyes, the natural next step in supporting this advancement would be to abolish the Institutional List completely,” said Dr Yaron Rado, Chief Radiologist and Chairman of the Board of Doctors Hospital, after the case closed Friday. “This would ensure that our public is protected against the risks of a two-tier system – a system that has, until now, permitted lesser qualified and experienced doctors to practice in Cayman under minimal supervision and without the benefit of adequate career development and training.”
The Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society (CIMDS) had recently launched the “Green Tick”
campaign to raise awareness about the two separate registration lists of healthcare providers. Dr Rado urged people to educate themselves and make informed healthcare choices. He also asked government to reconsider the Institutional List.
See Dr Rado’s full statement here.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
This has been a long time coming. Thank you Drs Hospital for raising this. When Health City started it was supposed to be for “health tourism”. It was supposed to bring people to the island for treatments. That never took off so they started looking at local business. It is a two tier system. It is unfair XXXX. So very sad as we all suffer as a result. Insurance companies will be looking at this closely…. and malpractice lawsuits may follow. Thank you to Dr Rado for standing up and showing everyone the truth.
Where is CJ in this..he has ability to advise govt on legal matters according to constitution?
CNS: You are confused. It is the Attorney General who advises the CIG on legal matters (see the relevant section of the Consitution here). See Part V of the Constitution, which deals with the courts, here.
This is why we buy medevac insurance every time we visit.
This was always going to blow up. Sure, it’s taken a few years to bubble to the surface but the question is: Why would a medical group — Narayana Health– set up shop in Cayman when they knew the government in office had taken steps to “cheat” the proper credentialing process, WHY? It’s simply impossible for the Health Practice Board to properly credential the qualifications of doctors from India. Surely, the directors of Narayana Health had some appreciation that their employees would be rightly considered as second-tier doctors, despite the defensive “world-class” rhetoric that spills out of their marketing department?
I would go to a doctor at Health City any day over someone at Doctors Hospital.
Sure. This issue is the public must understand the difference in the way doctors at HCCI and DH are credentialed so that an informed decision on who to see can be made.
It’s easy: Just ask your medical practitioner if he or she is on the Principal List. If yes, you can assume they have gone through a rigorous credentialing process. if No. . .
Hon. Justice Williams judgment will be an interesting read, because of the wide implications that are likely to arise from it.
Health care professionals (eg., doctors, etc.) and others might gain significant clarity, as well as other areas that could be significantly affected.
If the part of the agreement regarding the Institutional List can be changed, then it follows that the whole agreement is subject to change.
Good ol ppm crew…vote um in next elections…..they the best…ha ha ha! Go pact go…
As a native i been questioning this for yrs…fully qualified doctors spend yrs in uk..south africa….usa..etc..in order to qualify to practice here…oh boy…maybe lawsuits coming out of this….woooweee…this getting hot!!!!
Great news so long as we do not lower our standards.
Only way to put everyone already here on the same list is to lower the requirements to be on it.
And that’s the issue: Will the Indian doctors be inappropriately grandfathered onto the Principal List?
They had better not be. That would be a terrible lowering of standards.
Hope not!
We got standards?
Lol
Who is “we”?