The Health Services Authority will be implementing a five-year plan encompassing six strategies for improving the health care system.
The HSA board approved the plan, which specifies objectives and the actions needed to achieve them.
The six strategies cover developing an efficient organisational structure; ensuring the HSA’s financial viability; making sure that care meets or exceeds internationally accepted standards; encouraging patients and families to participate in achieving wellness; improving external communication; and enhancing internal communication, job satisfaction and staff commitment.
Dr. Tamer Tadros, HSA medical director, views these strategies as both ambitious and achievable.
‘I think it’s a complete plan covering organisational, financial and medical aspects, as well as community interaction with the Cayman population.
‘We will learn about finding a balance between setting high goals and how to achieve those,’ he said.
Mr. Tadros referred to the two strategies relating to organisation and financial viability.
‘Management and finance are married, they are the two backbones of the organisation and should be working intimately together,’ he said.
As part of the strategic plan for 2005-2010, six objectives have been outlined, most dealing with reducing the incidence and morbidity rates of various diseases.
Specifically targeted are lifestyle and communicable diseases. According to the five-year plan, the HSA hopes to:
• Reduce the prevalence of behavioural health risk factors by 25 per cent by 2008.
• Reduce the onset of lifestyle-related diseases, including diabetes, obesity and hypertension, by 25 per cent by 2008.
• Have the incidence of communicable diseases among the lowest five per cent worldwide.
• Have the morbidity rates for identified priority diseases such as stroke, blindness and end-stage renal failure in the lowest 10 per cent worldwide.
• Have at least 90 per cent of those who use its services recognise the HSA as a provider of high-quality health care.
• Achieve financial self-sufficiency by 2008.
Mr. Tadros views these objectives as part of an impressive goal to improve medical care.
‘In our strategy, there are medically two horizons. One is to provide basic care of a high standard and the other is to have it accessible 24/7 at the same level of quality,’ he said.
The medical director also addressed the strategy for achieving an international level of care.
‘We must transfer from being isolated on an island to working in partnership with international high-standard medical centres.
‘We can profit from this experience, attract high-quality doctors and nurses, and enhance our level of providing medical services,’ he said.
For the future, Mr. Tadros envisions a time when there will no longer be a need for patients to seek medical attention overseas.
‘We have to concentrate on medical fields relevant to this island and to the people visiting this island. We have to be very critical, evaluate every service we provide, and improve them every day.
‘When the day comes that we see the people who are now leaving the island to receive treatment abroad, staying here to receive the same treatment, that will be the parameter by which we can measure success. And I think that’s achievable,’ he said.
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