By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

No objections were raised at Monday night’s public consultation to Lyford Cay Hospital’s proposed expansion through the addition of services “that are a bit more cutting edge”.

Conway Smith, architect at Alexiou and Associates, told the Town Planning Committee meeting that the hospital is seeking to implement urgent care facilities as part of its expansion.

“What primarily Dr Dean [Tseretopoulos] is looking to do is upgrade the services that are currently provided, as well as provide some additional services that are a bit more cutting edge and just to remain on top of the industry,” he explained.

“And so in addition to some of the things like radiology, CT scanning, they also have an urgent care facility, which I believe will be the most western urgent care facility on the island, and so he’s looking to make sure that people in the west have access to urgent care if that is needed.”

Mr Smith said construction is estimated to take between 14 to 16 months, and the project will be open to bids for construction once the necessary approvals are secured. “Construction will probably be about 14 to 16 months,” he added.

“Currently, this is one of the initial stages in the development to get planning approval. So, just developing all of the plans and approvals will probably take another ten months. And I think, shortly after that, the project will be in a position where it can go to the market for bidding and then into construction”

Dr Dean Tseretopoulos, a cardiologist, previously told Tribune Business that the expansion 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.

“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 on-site, taking advantage of new legislation to provide innovative treatments to patients. He added that the centre will be used to improve the general well-being 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 the 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.”

Mr Smith told Monday night’s meeting that the Wellness and Longevity Centre will help boost medical tourism by offering treatments in a “very unique and clandestine destination”.

“If you think about medical tourism, I think it’s another avenue to bolster our tourist product, because now you’d have these types of procedures being offered in a very unique and clandestine destination,” he said.

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.