IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

The newly launched Ministry of Health (MOH) website is expected to bridge gap between the family islands and the public healthcare system.

Speaking at the press conference to announce the MOH website, Dr Marcus Bethel, Minister of Health, said the web page would provide all Bahamians 24-seven access to public healthcare.

"The Ministry of Health has long been about making healthcare person-centered [services] accessible to all residents, regardless of where they live in The Bahamas," said Minister Bethel. "In our ongoing effort to continually improve the health status of Bahamian residents and existing health services, E-Health represents yet another way we anticipate reaching residents where they are. Indeed, the vision of my Ministry's E-Health Programme is to give Bahamians access to health information and services anytime and anywhere."

Minister Bethel added that the www.bahamas.gov.bs/health website is a part of the government's recently launched E-Government Initiative. He said the website would focus on individual needs.

"It is all about co-ordinating health services around the needs of people, rather than service types professional boundaries or organisational structure," he said. "It's about health system reform that anticipates future growth and technologies, consumer and market trends and building capacity in the community, as a means of improving access to healthcare."

Health officials declined to put a dollar value on the new website. Instead, they said there was no "direct" cost.

"Currently, there are no specific direct costs to the MOH, except the hardware that is a part of our general procurement of furniture and equipment," said Elma Garraway, Permanent Secretary for the Health Ministry. "You see, we are very frugal in the MOH and we make a little go a very long way. We're conscious of efficiency and effectiveness."

At present, web surfers can access step-by-step instructions regarding critical healthcare services on-line, e-mail concerns or health education questions and access community health clinic schedules, according to Minister Bethel.

But he added that development of the website is ongoing.

"This is merely the first phase of our four phase/three year project," he said. "I hope that after the completion of phase four of the project, that is, the creation of chat rooms, e-surveys and all services made as E-facilitated as possible, our dream would be reality.

"I envision a day when persons may have the option of making appointments to see their public healthcare providers online, when expectant mothers may participate in distance education about breast-feeding and labour, when residents may be able to trace where their requests are in the flow of service steps, as well as many other E-services," he continued. "My dream is that every resident has the best quality healthcare possible."

Autor: Jasmin Bonimy

Quelle: The Naussau Guardian, 07.02.2006