‘Understanding Prostate Health’ booklet and PSA guidelines launched

Tuesday 11 February 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board today launched an ‘Integrated Health Care: Understanding Prostate Health’ booklet and PSA testing guidelines as part of the outcome of work undertaken to develop an integrated prostate cancer care pathway in Bermuda.

The booklet aims to provide information to help men better understand prostate issues, prevention, risk and treatment for many prostate conditions including cancer, in Bermuda. Click here to read the booklet.

The PSA testing guidelines establish a standardised approach in Bermuda.  Click here to read the guidelines.

The Minster of Health, the Hon. Kim Wilson JP MP, comments: “Prostate cancer is the number one cancer affecting men. In fact, it makes up 33% of cancer diagnoses in men in Bermuda with over 50 new cases identified in Bermuda each year. It needs our attention now because mortality rates in Bermuda for prostate cancer are twice that compared to the OECD average. It is critical we understand and improve our care pathways for prostate cancer so we can deliver the most effective screening and the best, most efficient treatment for men who are diagnosed.”

CEO & President of BHB Scott Pearman said: “This integrated prostate cancer pathway follows on from similar work completed for breast cancer that has seen improvements in the pathway for women. We are also working with Johns Hopkins on pathways for trauma and burns care, which we hope will also improve the efficiency and effective of our trauma and burns response. The central purpose of the cancer pathways is about making a difference in the lives of people in Bermuda. We want to make screening more effective and available, to catch cancers as early as possible when there is the best chance of a full recovery.  We also want to raise awareness about risks and prevention, and to improve the care pathway for men diagnosed with prostate cancer so that we can improve outcomes and save lives.”

BHB Consultant Urologist and founder of the DailyMale charity, Dr Jonathan Makanjuola, noted: “I would specifically like to thank the following individual got validating the pathway and guidelines. Dr Fosker from the Bermuda Cancer & Health Centre for helping validate the pathway. Dr. Michael E. Czerwinski, Consultant Urologist, Island Urology Services. Dr. Michael E. Brooks, Consultant Urological Surgeon, Dynamic Urology Services. Dr. Jeff MacLeod and Dr. Adil Ladak, Island Health Services FPG. Dr. Kyjuan H. Brown, President, Bermuda Medical Doctors Association and Dr. Ayoola Oyinloye, Director of Population Health Innovation and Strategy, Bermuda Health Council.”

He added: “The message I’d like to leave you with today is that when detected early, most prostate issues, including cancer, are highly treatable, and men have a range of options to regain their health and peace of mind. So please read this guide if you are a man or to share with the men in your life.My hope is that this information will empower you to take charge of your prostate health and encourage you to make screenings a regular part of your wellness routine. Together, by staying informed and proactive, we can make a big difference in men’s health in Bermuda.”

 

11 February 2025 Home Page, News

KEMH through road closed Friday 7 February afternoon

Thursday 6 February 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public that there will be no through traffic on the campus of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) between Point Finger Road and Berry Hill Road on Friday 7 February from approximately 1pm to 6pm.

Vehicles and pedestrians will be able to access the Emergency Department, the main Acute Care Wing entrance and the Acute Care Wing visitor parking lot from Point Finger Road.

The General Wing visitor parking lot will be accessible from Berry Hill Road.

To ensure safety, please adhere to all signage, barricades and directions of personnel at the site.

The road closure will facilitate two consecutive crane lifts, the first outside the Orthopaedic (Fracture) Clinic and the second by the General Wing lobby entrance. This will allow the replacement of an air handling unit and air unit coils.

6 February 2025 News

BHB Public Advisory on Patient Billings

Friday 24 January 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) wishes to inform the public that in recent weeks some of its patients have received bills that they would not normally receive.

This is due to how some claims were processed by the BHB’s Patient Electronic & Administrative Records Log (PEARL).

BHB has made changes to its system to prevent this issue from reoccurring.

BHB’s Chief Financial Officer, Arthur Ebbin said: “We apologise to those who have received these bills and thank those who contacted us querying their bills. We also invite anyone who has a question about their bill to call our Collections Department on 239-2026.”

 

-ends-

24 January 2025 Home Page, News

Oncology update

Thursday 23 January 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board today provides an update on the hiring of two new oncologists, both of whom will arrive by the end of January.

Dr Anna Neilson-WilliamsActing Chief of Staff, Anna Neilson-Williams comments: “We are really pleased to be able to share that two oncologists are due to arrive in Bermuda by the end of January and will go through training and orientation in the first two weeks of February. This is great news for the patients of our oncology service. As the new oncologists arrive we will share their details with patients and the community. This means very soon our service will have three full-time oncologists on island, and we will be able to take on all new cancer cases as before.

“I would like to thank Bermuda Cancer & Health Centre and PALS, as well as to hospital physicians and staff, and especially our full-time oncologist Dr Alisha Tucker and locum Dr Christopher Price. To our patients, we appreciate your understanding through what we know has been a challenging period. I would also like to note that over the last few months we have been in discussions with some overseas hospitals on having locum agreements in place. Oncologists are specialist positions and the type of oncologist hired for an island service is increasingly rare, so the hiring time can take six or more months. If we are able to establish locum agreements, this could help us better maintain local services during hiring periods or oncologist vacations.”

23 January 2025 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board announces the first Generation Beta baby

Thursday 2 January 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is happy to announce the birth of Aaryonn Xzavier Smith, the first baby born on New Year’s Day to Dannielle Joell and Boulevard Blazers centre-back Anthony Smith.

Hospital management and staff are celebrating as Danielle is a nurse aide at the hospital. “My due date was actually 17th of January but I have been coming in with pain recently,” she said. “They check me and then release me back home, but yesterday the pain was stronger and when they checked they said it was time,” she recalled.

Father Anthony, focused on the Shield Championship match against Somerset Trojans he was to play in, said he knew Dannielle had come to the hospital but thought it was the usual pains she had been experiencing. The centre-back was on the field by noon in Somerset, and at 1:03pm his son was born. Aaryonn weighed 6lbs 5oz.

“It happened too fast for me to get here for the birth,” he said. “But the whole team was excited. And we won,” he added.

Anthony rode in the traditional winning motorcade to Hamilton with the shield and was dropped off at the hospital to be with Danielle and Aaryonn.

“He is our Boulevard baby,” said his father, “the whole team is behind him.”

BHB CEO & President Scott Pearman noted: “We are delighted that our own Danielle is mom to the first, Generation Beta baby in Bermuda. Babies born this year are the first in a new generation of children that will include all born up to the end of 2039.”

-ends-

2 January 2025 Home Page, News

Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre closed on Saturday

Friday 27 December 2024: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public that due to a shortage of staff, the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre (UCC) will be closed on Saturday 28 December 2024.

The UCC will be open its regular hours of 9am to 9pm on Sunday 29 December 2024.

This temporary UCC closure is to ensure adequate staffing levels to safely manage demand for all patients who require urgent or emergency care. BHB apologises for the inconvenience.

-ends-

27 December 2024 Home Page, News

Nearly half of acute care beds filled with patients medically fit for discharge

Thursday 19 December 2024: Bermuda Hospitals Board today revealed that analysis undertaken on Wednesday 18 December showed that 42 of its 90 beds on the acute care inpatient units were filled with people who were medically fit for discharge. That is 46% of all inpatient beds in the Acute Care Wing (ACW). The average length of stay of these patients was 70 days (over two months) with longest stay patient being over nine months.

Medically fit for discharge refers to patients who no longer require acute medical care but remain in the hospital due to barriers to safe and appropriate discharge.

In the General Wing, where beds are used as acute care overflow, there are an additional 24 patients medically fit for discharge, with the longest stay being almost 2 years (23 months).

Minister of Health, the Hon. Kim Wilson JP MP, comments: “These figures will understandably concern the community, as behind each patient is an individual in need of assistance. We continue to support BHB’s efforts to enhance hospital capacity and remain committed to developing long-term solutions to improve care availability in the community.

“While healthcare systems must invest in these long-term solutions to address patients who are medically fit for discharge, families play a crucial role in the immediate response. By recognising the challenges faced by hospitals and the needs of their loved ones, families can make a significant difference by stepping up to assist in the discharge and care process.

“Ultimately, addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort among families, healthcare providers, and policymakers. By working together, we can ensure hospital resources are used effectively and patients receive the appropriate care in the most suitable setting.”

CEO & President Scott Perman noted that the number of patients medically fit for discharge in the acute care wing had increased over 50% since figures were last publicly shared in June 2023, when there were 25 patients in acute care inpatient beds.

“This is something we have been experiencing over the last few months,” he says. “Its biggest impact has seen rising waits for emergency patients needing an inpatient bed.”

The issue is mostly caused by patients who need either a nursing home or more care support at home in order to be safely discharged.

Mr Pearman noted, “We obviously implore families to take their loved ones home as soon as they are ready to be discharged, when possible. We know Bermuda needs more affordable nursing home placements and affordable care support for people at home, but the impact on hospital services of these delayed discharges is detrimental to others needing acute, surgical* and emergency services**, and those patients trying to return from medical institutions overseas. It also increases hospital costs that the healthcare system overall has to bear.”

Data from 18 December shows:

Acute Care Inpatient Units (ACW)
• 42 of the 90 acute care inpatient beds had people medically fit for discharge in them (46%)
• The average age of the patients whose discharge is delayed is 76 years
• The average length of stay for these patients is over 2 months (70 days)
• Of the 42 patients, 24 % have been in hospital 3 months or more and 12% have been in hospital 6 months or more
• The longest stay patient has been in an acute care bed for over 9 months.

Acute Care Overflow Beds in the General Wing
• 24 medically fit for discharge patients are staying on units in the General Wing
• The average age of patients is 78 years
• The average length of stay of these patients is over 9 months (262 days)
• 88% of these patients have been in hospital over 3 months and 58% of these patients have been in hospital over 6 months
• The longest stay patient has been in hospital for nearly two years (23 months)

“Our longest stay patients whose discharge is delayed will find themselves eventually on a bed on the General Wing side. These patients do not need BHB’s long term care service, which is for seniors with higher care needs than a community nursing home can offer. This means they are still using beds that others need. Most importantly, they are not in the environment best suited for their needs, impacting their quality of life and putting them at risk of unnecessary physical deterioration.”

A 100-day challenge undertaken at the beginning of 2024 had helped identify internal efficiency improvements relating to bed flow and some solutions were implemented. A task force was recently established to follow up on the improvements and work on some of the more complex solutions highlighted from this effort. But the increasing number of medically fit for discharge patients in hospital is something BHB cannot control.

Mr Pearman urged the community to use emergency services wisely and ensure relatives ready for discharge are supported to go home as soon as possible. These actions will help relieve some of the pressure.

He added, “While we are focusing on the impact of delayed discharges, we should also be wise about our own health and care. We have had as many as 30 people waiting for admission in our Emergency Departments and this impacts everyone coming in. So please use your GP in the weekday or go to the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care service between 9am and 9pm on Saturday and Sunday if it is not a true emergency. Avoid the need of emergency services by taking any medications for chronic conditions, getting available vaccines that safely prevent flu, measles and other diseases, and don’t drink or do drugs and drive. Make sure the emergency services can focus on the true emergencies, such as strokes, heart attacks and other life-threatening conditions.”

Related data:
*Below is a year’s data on surgical cancellations. Highlighted in the table is the number of surgeries rescheduled due to no beds being available. The highest cause of surgical cancellation, however, remains patients themselves not turning up or cancelling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Emergency wait times are posted monthly to the BHB Statistics page, and real-time wait times are available on a screen in the Emergency Department.

19 December 2024 Home Page, News

Bermuda Hospitals Board joins Bermuda is Love’s EmpathyInAction Campaign

Tuesday 17 December 2024: Bermuda Hospitals Board has joined Bermuda is Love in urging the public to cultivate and practice empathy.

This December is the third year BHB has erected green exterior lighting over the Point Finger Road main entrance of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to remind the public to take care of their mental health.

“Green is the international colour for mental health, and this year we invite the public to consciously practice empathy,” said BHB Acting Chief of Staff Dr Anna Neilson-Williams. “Empathy is more than simply helping someone. It involves seeing a situation from the perspective of another, understanding and, if possible, feeling how that other person feels.

“Compassion is a form of empathy that can have a beneficial impact on the mental wellbeing of the giver as well as the recipient.

“We understand and applaud the strong activism Bermuda is Love is undertaking, supporting both individuals and families in our community. We are pleased to echo their call inviting the public to join the #EmpathyInAction campaign this December.”

A Bermuda is Love spokesperson explained: “Through #EmpathyInAction, we aim to empower individuals to view Bermuda and the world through a new lens, fostering understanding of the challenges others face, such as poverty and socio-economic inequality. With this understanding, we encourage everyone to act with kindness and contribute to tangible solutions.

“When we help others – whether by offering our time, skills or resources – we not only address immediate needs but also gain insights into their lives and challenges. Participating in acts of service nurtures a deep sense of our shared humanity, of our connectedness to one another, reminding us of the strength in unity and collective effort.

“At its core, empathy is a bridge – a powerful tool for reducing division, resolving conflicts and creating spaces where all individuals feel valued and seen. By actively listening, volunteering and acting, we can strengthen our communities and deepen our connections to one another.”

Dr Neilson-Williams advised: “As you take a drive to enjoy the holiday lights this month, do pass along Point Finger Road and see our green holiday lighting. Use it to remember to pause to enjoy your life and know that that is good for your mental health.”

-ends-

17 December 2024 Home Page, News

Celebrating blood donors this Christmas

Monday 16 December 2024: The Bermuda Blood Donor Centre will be thanking people who give blood over the holiday season in December with a gift kindly donated by the St George’s Group.

Everyone who donates always gets a drink and cookie as they rest for a short period after their donation. Through this month, they will also get a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate.

Chief of Pathology and Consultant Haematologist Dr Eyitayo Fakunle says they are grateful to the St George’s Group for helping them bring some holiday spirit to donating.

“The holiday season is very busy for many people and so we appreciate even more than usual the generosity of our donors, who give up half an hour of their time to donate blood,” he says. “Giving gifts is in the spirit of Christmas and we want to celebrate those who give the gift of life this year by donating.”

People who want to donate can contact the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre at 236-5067, WhatsApp at 533-9553 or email blood.donor@bhb.bm. Clinics run Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm.

16 December 2024 Home Page, News