CIHC to focus on doctor-patient relationship

(CNS): This year’s annual Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference will be focused on the relationship between patients and their doctors. Good communication between patient and physician is the key to improved health outcomes, Lizzette Yearwood, CEO of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority, said about the theme, Bridging the Gap Between Patient and Practitioner; Pathways to Optimal Health.

The event will take place in October at the Ritz-Carlton and will include a range of presentations and panels featuring both local and international healthcare professionals as well as exhibitors from healthcare-related organisations and various charities.

“The doctor-patient relationship dynamic is an important one that is always evolving because of the continuous development of new technologies and innovations in the healthcare sector,” said Yearwood, who is also the co-chair of the conference planning committee. “There is an increase in remote healthcare services such as telemedicine; and a rise in patients who are empowering themselves with information relating to their health and, in turn, demanding a more collaborative partnership with their providers.”

Topics will include evidence-based practice (EBP); collaborative care pathways; the transition between primary and secondary care; opportunities to expand; infrastructure, training and information sharing; personalised healthcare; wearable devices; the expansion into artificial intelligence (AI); and the expansion of telemedicine; and audits of clinical outcomes.

Minister for Health and Wellness Sabrina Turner said this year’s theme tied into the ministry’s data-driven approach to decision-making.

“Data is an essential tool to bridge gaps in knowledge, access, services and policies, all of which help to mitigate the gap between individual patients and their practitioners,” she said. “It is all interconnected, and we are looking forward to seeing how presenters connect the dots.”

Health City is the major sponsor of the event for the fifth year and will be exploring various interventions and actions to significantly improve the quality of local healthcare and optimise patient outcomes, said Shomari Scott, Health City’s Chief Business Officer.

“Our sponsorship of the Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference facilitates gathering the most brilliant minds in the field, deepening the understanding of a range of health issues, and developing effective solutions to improve the well-being and quality of life for our future generations,” he added

The conference is free to the public and registration will open in September. Continuing Medical Education (CME) certificates will be available for each presentation. Organisers have also said there are still a few speaker spots available for anyone who is interested in presenting on the theme.

For general information and available sponsorship and speaker opportunities contact Laurie-Ann Holding at laurieann@kellyholding.com or 1 (345) 623.8824.