By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Lyford Cay Hospital is applying for permission to renovate and expand its existing medical facility.

Cardiologist Dr Dean Tseretopoulos, of Lyford Cay Hospital, said the facility will facilitate patients throughout The Bahamas and will include an urgent care centre, a catheterisation lab, as well as an electrophysiology lab which will be “unique” to the Caribbean and The Bahamas.

Speaking to Tribune Business, he said there are few catheterisation labs available in the country and the additional unit will be helpful in treating patients that are suffering heart attacks and strokes.

“Currently there is a limited catheterisation laboratory being offered at Bahamas Health Centre, Doctors Hospital’s catheterisation is down, but they’ll be up and running soon. In essence, that would be a third catheterisation lab for treating heart attacks and strokes,” he said.

Dr Tseretopoulos said Lyford Cay Hospital plans to introduce a Wellness and Longevity Centre onsite, taking advantage of the new legislation to provide innovative treatments to patients.

The Longevity and Regenerative Therapies Act was recently passed in Parliament which repealed and replaced the Stem Cell Research and Therapy Act.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the legislation would approve and regulate longevity and regeneration therapies in the country.   

The legislation would empower the minister to present a longevity and regenerative therapy policy, which would be reviewed and updated every two years.

The bill also established a board and ethics committee with responsibilities to foster innovation in the field, obtain and maintain resources required to ensure that best practices are upheld in all vivo and ex vivo therapy and research operations and developing policies to monitor compliance with all aspects of the law, among other things.

Dr Tseretopoulos said the centre will be used to improve the general wellbeing of patients as well as aid in obtaining early diagnosis and the treatment of advanced diseases.  

“We have a large plan for a Wellness and Longevity Centre, which is in these planning stages, which will take advantage of some of the new legislation that’s been passed in terms of those kinds of innovative treatments, as well as just general wellness and proactive treatments for patients,” said Dr Tseretopoulos.

“We’re trying to get patients diagnosed before illness, as well as treating people with advanced diseases through the Wellness Centre.”

Documents obtained from the Department of Physical Planning reveal a proposal to develop 3.249 acres for a two–storey medical facility with provisions for multiple examination rooms, physical therapy rooms, urgent care, X-ray and MRI imaging and a pharmacy.

The proposal also includes 143 parking spaces and green and outdoor spaces to be located around the site.

A public hearing is scheduled for next month.