Media Stories

Hopkins deal ‘a dream come true’

From The Royal Gazette: Stroke patients will have access to “the best possible chance at full recovery”, thanks to a link-up between the Bermuda Hospitals Board and Johns Hopkins Medicine.

The move, welcomed as a “dream come true” by campaigners, will see a primary stroke centre established in Bermuda, with accreditation for acute stroke care in place by 2021.

The clinical affiliation with the Maryland-based medical institute will also include improvements in psychiatric care, a continuing medical education programme for physicians in Bermuda and a residency programme.

Michael Richmond, Chief of Staff at the BHB, told a press conference: “Stroke treatment and rehabilitation is a key focus. We have four to five stroke cases come to the hospital per week.

“We want to ensure we are giving every stroke patient the best possible chance at full recovery, and also identifying people at risk even earlier to try and prevent one altogether.

“We are also looking at psychiatry for opportunities to improve and find more effective ways to structure and deliver our services.”

Dr Richmond said the aim was to provide treatment that matches “the best of the best”…

Published 8 May 2019
9 May 2019 Media

Social media ‘perfection’ harming students

Promoting awareness: Shanay Scott, chairwoman of the Mental Health Awareness Committee, left, Anne Coakley, head of secondary at Warwick Academy, David Horan, principal at Warwick Academy, McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett, health minister Kim Wilson, Glenn Caisey, clinical director of Mental Health Services at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (Photograph by Anna Nowak)From The Royal Gazette: A 15-year-old schoolgirl warned about the perils of modern-day school life as she kicked off Mental Health Awareness Week yesterday.

McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett from Warwick Academy said children faced pressure from teachers and parents to perform well in exams, bullying from school friends and unrealistic expectations of “perfection” promoted on social media.

She highlighted research by the American Psychological Association, which showed nearly half of all teenagers admitted they suffered stress from pressures at school.

McKenzie-Kohl said: “The pressure to perform well academically was the most significant, followed by the desire to please teachers.

“In addition, the combination of schoolwork, extracurricular activities and studying for exams leads to crammed schedules. Teenagers should be encouraged to reach out to their school counsellors if they feel as if they can’t cope.”

She was speaking at Warwick Academy, the venue for the launch of the awareness campaign, which this year is focused on the mental health of young people in a fast-changing world.

McKenzie-Kohl said parents could set unrealistic expectations for their children, which could lead to burnout, anxiety and low self-esteem…

Published 9 October 2018
16 October 2018 Media

Mental Health Awareness Week launched

From Bernews: Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 was launched by Minister of Health Kim Wilson today [Oct 8] with the theme of ‘Mental Health and Young People in a Changing World.’

A spokesperson said, “About 75% of mental illnesses appear by the age of 24, with about half appearing by 14 years old. A message of the campaign is that education about mental health and interventions at a young age will vastly improvement lives – from educational achievement, to employment and relationships.”

Glenn Caisey, Director of Mental Health Services at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, said, “The mental health of our young people is precious. Identifying and responding to mental disorders in this age group is critical to give them the best chance at a fulfilling life.”

Mental Health Awareness Week Bermuda Oct 2018

“There is much that impacts our mental wellbeing at this age – how we are treated by our families and friends being critical. Bullying, cyberbullying, coming to terms with our individual gender identity and sexual orientation, family and peer pressures and violence in our communities and the world impact the mental well-being of our youth… Read the full article at www.bernews.com

Published 8 October 2018

 

16 October 2018 Media

Balitian-Dill obtains right to write prescriptions

Nurse Practitioner Myrian Balitian-Dill at her deskFrom Bernews: Bermuda Hospitals Board [BHB] Nurse Practitioner Myrian Balitian-Dill is one of only a handful of registered nurses who have attained nurse practitioner designation in Bermuda, and she is now the first to be granted authority to write prescriptions locally.

A BHB spokesperson said, “Mrs Balitian-Dill received the news from the Bermuda Pharmacy Council on 31 August 2018. Mrs Balitian-Dill is the only nurse practitioner at BHB. On obtaining her qualification she moved into a nurse practitioner role in the hospital’s Cardiology Department.

“In November 2016 she transitioned to help set up a new service at BHB, the Patient-Centred Medical Home. The small dynamic team of this service also includes a physician medical director, a staff nurse and an office administrator.

“The setting provided the ideal environment for Mrs Balitian-Dill to be afforded the right to prescribe as Bermuda legislation dictates that prescribing rights can be granted to nurse practitioners “under the authority of a medical practitioner”.

“The new development is the result of several years of collaboration to ensure all the necessary regulatory documents were in place. Mrs Balitian-Dill is pleased with the move and sees it as a starting point and an important way to help reduce health care costs…

Published 24 September 2018

Read the full article at www.bernews.com

3 October 2018 Media

Doctor proud of colon surgery results

From The Royal Gazette: Bermuda could become a centre for specialist colon removal surgery, a surgeon at the Bermuda Hospitals Board has said.

Fitzroy Hamilton said results in Bermuda were better than those of top European clinics that use single-incision laparoscopic surgery for colon removal.

Dr Hamilton said: “What we have seen from reviewing 186 cases we have done is that we have the outcome to show that we are very much on par with the guys in Europe and even better.”

He added: “We are leading in our outcome and I think we should explore making Bermuda the destination for patients for Sils colon surgery not only for medical tourism, but also the possibility to train surgeons in the diaspora. We should try to make Bermuda a centre of excellence for Sils colon surgery.”…

Published 21 July 2018

Read the full article at www.royalgazette.com

23 July 2018 Media

Pair bloom on learning programme

MWI clients at work at DemcoFrom The Royal Gazette: Danielle Gibbons and Chevon Burrows have grown since they were taken on at an island florist.

The two landed jobs at Demco last year as part of the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute’s learning disability programme and both said work had helped them become more independent.

Ms Gibbons said: “It motivates me. It gives me more confidence. It gives me more wisdom.”

The 27-year-old from Southampton, added that the job had changed her.

She said: “Instead of bringing me down when I come to work, it lifts me up, it gives me more strength. I’m progressing and getting better. I just feel an improvement in my life.”

And Mr Burrows, 30, added: “It makes me feel happy and independent. And I can save up my money.”

Ms Gibbons and Mr Burrows are two of four programme participants who started working with Demco in June last year…

Published 23 January 2018

Read the full article at www.royalgazette.com

6 February 2018 Media

Doctor returns from hurricane relief work

Dr Roslyn Bascombe-AdamsFrom The Royal Gazette: A Bermudian doctor described the devastation in the Caribbean island of Dominica yesterday after it was hammered by Hurricane Maria.

Roslyn Bascombe-Adams, sent to the island as part of a Pan American Health Organisation aid mission, said: “Every Dominican that I came in contact with had been impacted by the storm. Those who had not lost their roofs had been flooded.”

Dr Bascombe-Adams, deputy chief of the emergency department and hyperbaric services at Bermuda Hospitals Board, was called up for aid duty last month and at first thought she was headed for the British Virgin Islands badly damaged by Hurricane Irma. She and the PAHO team were in Barbados when Category 5 Maria hit Dominica and they were taken by Barbados Coast Guard boat in a 14-hour journey to the stricken island instead…

Published 13 October 2017

Read the full article at www.royalgazette.com

2 November 2017 Media

Student saves feathers for sensory tools

Tatiana King, Royal Gazette photoFrom The Royal Gazette: A summer student at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute has created sensory tools for people with learning difficulties using colourful feathers salvaged from this year’s carnival outfits.

Tatiana King has been interning at the institute for six weeks and one project was to design and help build the tools — feathered bird and butterfly figures, both with moveable wings.

According to occupational therapist Shari Scott, many people with mental illnesses or learning difficulties are “sensory seeking”.

When Ms King was accepted into the internship, Ms Scott immediately told her of the plan to provide sensory stimulation tools to numerous clients in residential homes across the island…

Published 16 August 2017

Read the full article at www.royalgazette.com

17 August 2017 Media

KEMH’s Schultz to be honoured

Dr Edward Schultz

Edward Schultz, Chief of Emergency Services and Hyperbaric Medicine

From The Royal Gazette: The Chief of Emergency Services and Hyperbaric Medicine at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital will be recognised by the Bermuda Health Foundation this month.

Edward Schultz, who has worked at the hospital since 1988, will be honoured at the organisation’s 15th Annual Salute to Service Award Luncheon on June 30.

The BHF noted in a statement that Dr Schultz was the attending emergency physician at Mt Sinai Medical Centre of Greater Miami in Florida before moving to Bermuda.

Published 8 June 2017

Read the full article at www.royalgazette.com

22 June 2017 Media

Corporate Blood Drive contest heats up

Blood donor Joel Schaefer from Argus

Blood donor Joel Schaefer from Argus

From The Royal Gazette: Local companies are queuing up to take part in the annual Corporate Blood Drive, hoping to be crowned the new blood donor champions.

The drive is aimed at helping maintain vital blood supplies for patients at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

As of last week, 17 staff from Bacardi, 11 from Argus and 9 from Ariel Re have given blood.

The competition is organised by the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Seniors…

Published 17 March 2017

Read the article at www.royalgazette.com

27 March 2017 Media