By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE government says the Bahamas Electronic Medical Records+ (BEMR) system will be fully rolled out across the country by the end of 2025, a move officials describe as one of the biggest overhauls of the public health system in decades.

Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said the nationwide launch will connect every public clinic and hospital to a secure digital network, replacing the paper-based system still used in most facilities. The goal, he said, is to ensure that “one patient, one record” follows Bahamians wherever they receive care.

“The rollout of BEMR nationwide is a game-changer for healthcare in The Bahamas,” Dr Darville said. “By ensuring that every Bahamian can benefit from modern, connected healthcare services, we are not only increasing efficiency but also putting patients at the centre of the system.”

The project builds on pilot runs at the Adelaide and Gambier clinics earlier this year, which officials said improved accuracy, reduced duplication, and made patient histories instantly available to medical teams. Supported by the Pan American Health Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank, the system forms part of the wider Information Systems for Health (IS4H) initiative to modernise national health data.

Once completed, the platform will link more than 80 government clinics and hospitals, including those in remote Family Islands, giving doctors instant access to patient information and allowing island residents to consult specialists in Nassau and Grand Bahama through telehealth.

Still, the government has not released key details about how the transition will unfold, including when each clinic will be brought online, how millions of paper records will be digitised, or what cybersecurity protocols will protect patient data.

Dr Phillip Swann, director of public health, has said the rollout will take place in phases in collaboration with local health workers and technology partners. “This demonstrates the government’s commitment to building a stronger, more resilient, accessible and patient-centred health system for the future,” he said.

The initiative is being financed through a $40m IDB loan that supports upgrades to Family Island clinics, digital infrastructure, and staff training. Officials said training for medical and administrative workers will begin this quarter as the system expands clinic by clinic.

If the plan stays on schedule, The Bahamas will join a growing list of Caribbean countries shifting to electronic medical records, a move international health experts say is crucial to improving efficiency, cutting costs, and reducing errors across public health systems.