The first surgical procedures have taken place at Doctors Hospital’s newly-opened Bahamas Medical Centre in western New Providence.

Gastroenterologist Dr Gemma Rolle was the first to use its operating theatre when she performed an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), while cosmetic surgeon, Dr Greg Neil, undertook the first major surgical procedure – a breast reduction.

Dr Rolle has since performed three additional procedures at Bahamas Medical Centre, and plans to continue using the Blake Road operating theatre.

“It was awesome. The operating room and recovery area were fully sta

ffed, and everyone was in place for just my procedure and my patient. Everything that’s available at the main hospital was available here, and it really is wonderful to have another option in this location to offer my patients the same high quality medical care,” Dr Rolle said.

Dr Neil’s patient, 55 year-old Sharon Creary, while recuperating from the outpatient procedure at home a few days later, said: “I am just so pleased with the service. I fell in love with (patient care technician) Shantell Rolle; she just made me so comfortable and relaxed.

“Everyone was just awesome. I really enjoyed the experience and I told my husband that’s money well spent. It was far beyond what I had expected. I had already started to psych myself up about what was going to happen, but the people there made the experience an enjoyable one.”

Dr Neil added: “I’m glad for the opportunity to facilitate the western community with this new medical centre.” Following the surgery, anaesthesiologist Dr Sy Pierre worked with Dr Neil on the six-hour outpatient case.

Mrs Creary added: “Don’t waste your money and go foreign, because we have something right home that’s even better. I had two surgeries away (US) in August and September, and I thought their service was good, but what I received here, I tell you if I had to do it again, I’d rather take my money and leave it here in my country because I have someplace that I think is on par with anywhere else.”

Bahamas Medical Centre has one major operating theatre as well as a minor procedure operating room, giving surgeons and their patients another option for surgical procedures using top-rated equipment, internationally accepted standards and highly-trained support personnel.

Bahamas Medical Centre, located on Blake Road, also houses an emergency room from 7am-11pm daily; a sessional clinic for specialty physician appointments and follow-up care; a laboratory; imaging department; rehabilitation services; the country’s only dedicated medical fitness centre; and the International Patient Program.