BVIHSA clarifies physician policy amid claims of blocked surgeon
The BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) has sought to clarify its policies on physicians practising at its facilities, following claims that an external surgeon was barred from working at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital — a situation alleged to have delayed more than a dozen surgeries.
Radio commentator Kishma Penn said on air that 14 operations had been held up because surgeon Dr Yee Sing was not being allowed to perform procedures at the hospital.
In subsequent a statement on Wednesday, the Authority said it must ensure all physicians granted practice rights within its facilities hold valid licences and maintain adequate medico-legal insurance coverage.
“These requirements are not discretionary; they are essential safeguards that protect both patients and practitioners,” the BVIHSA stated.
The Authority explained that for doctors employed directly by the hospital, medico-legal insurance is provided through the BVIHSA. However, if a licence lapses, the doctor is removed from duty until renewal is confirmed.
For external physicians, such as those who may have practice privileges without being employed by the BVIHSA, both requirements must be kept up to date.
“If either lapse, practice privileges are suspended. Once these requirements are renewed, a re-application is required before privileges can be reinstated,” the Authority stated.
Penn had suggested that doctors who leave the public hospital and move into private practice can often retain their privileges if they provide a specialist service that is not otherwise available locally.
“They are allowed to retain their hospital privileges because they have a speciality that nobody else on the island does,” Penn said.
The BVIHSA said its credentialing process now aligns with internationally accepted standards and has been strengthened through DNV accreditation. It added that the same rules are applied to all doctors to guarantee “fairness, accountability, and, most importantly, the protection of patient care”.
The Authority insisted it remains committed to transparent governance and “to upholding the highest standards of healthcare delivery for the people of the Virgin Islands”.
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Doctors need to be accredited and have insurance to protect patients from malpractice. BVIHSA is right to stick to this requirement.
BVIHSA is 100% right… Penn, always giving one side of the story with false accusations.. this is why I don’t listens to her. Loud mouth !
This is the problem in the BVI! If a Dr. was allowed to practice at BVIHSA despite not having met all requirements and something bad happened, the same KISHMA PENN would be asking what kind of horse and pony show are we running down there where persons can conduct surgeries etc. without adhering to specified protocols! You guys are the reason why the BVI continues to slide into a shit pit! We blame the politicians but it’s issues like these that highlight why the place cannot get any better. If BVIHSA has rules that doctors/surgeons must adhere to, then what’s the problem? Why are these so called journalists with political ambitions who NOBODY WOULD VOTE FOR are allowed to just say anything on the airwaves?
a story always have 2 sides.
A story has 3 sides, my side, your side and the TRUTH.
So is HSA implying that Dr. Yee Sing’s licence has expired or that she is simply being reluctant to provide the necessary documentation? If she had been granted privileges prior and was simply asked to provide abc, xyz, then I cannot envision push-back. BVIHSA’s CEO has a bad habit of mishandling people in an effort to exude superiority, however, it’s just plain out rude and disrespectful. Why is the truth not being told? Stop hiding behind policy.
based on this report its strikes me that the BVIHSA is doing their due deligence.
A practioner cannot and should not be allowed to practice medicine if their medical license or medical malpractice insurance lapses.
Medical malpractice insurance is expensive if purchased privately for those in private practice. The fact that the BVIHSA provides that insurance is a major plus.
The fees to practice medicine in the territory has increased significantly, but practioners have no choice if they seek to practice other than pay the fees.
As for the renewal process, it’s outdated. A practioner be they nurses or docs should be able to renew their licences online in this day and age, with the capability of paying renewal fees by debit/credit card online.
No more old fashion receipt books and time off from practicing just to renew ones license. Renewals need to be brought into the 20th century.
At any rate, the rules are the rules. They are there for everyone’s safety. Valid license to practice medicine and proof of malpractice insurance is the norm everywhere.
The ability to practice medicine is a privilege, not a right.
It’s no different that the privilege to drive a car. We are also required to have a drivers licence and proof of insurance.
That’s life.
If your driver’s license expires, you go and renew it. You do not go and resit your driving test.
The Goodly Doctor renewed her license and the qualified doctor who last month had hospital privilege now after submitting her renewal license is being asked to reapply and resubmit all documents that the authority already have in its possession. That is cruelty, control and antagonism. The management said it. if you are employed by the hospital all you need to do is submit the renewal license. However, the surgeon who have given yo-man service to this hospital and the BVI public over umpteen of years is being asked to reapply and submit all documentation and proof of qualification as someone who is just coming into the system.
This is vindictive management at its best. This is Donald Trump mentality.
As I said in the tile to my post, I do not know the specifics relative to this doctor so I cannot miss a point I am not even aware. I was speaking in general.
Unfortunately, the article did not provide such detail, so one can only opine as much as information is available.
Nevertheless, if what you wrote is accurate, I agree wholeheartedly with you. To my knowledge the doc you mention has been working in the system for years. If they respected and valued her service, they would not be putting her thru this needless frustration.
Everything does not have to go by the book. This is a doctor who was active in the system. She did not come from somewhere else. It’s rediculous to put her thru this.
If she has corrected the deficit in her record, I don’t see why she should be asked to reapply for admission priviledges all over again. It strikes me needless, possible vinctive, and frustrating.
Meanwhile surgeries have been reportedly been cancelled and patients are suffering because of this most likely.
Where is the CEO? They need to intervene and restore the doctors’s hospital priviledges if she has remidied all deficits in her record.
This is one of the reasons staff leaves the hospital. Too much red tape, infighting, and disrespect. They will always have a recruitment problem if this mindset does not improve.
One of the issues with reading articles on these forums is that quite often the reading audience does not get the full picutre. Obviously you know more of the details of this matter.
Again, the CEO needs to get involved and get the good docs hospital priviledges restored without all this drawn out process.
Yes, on the books that their policy, but descretion can be used in this case to get things moving. It’s a waste of time to re-credential this doctor all over again if it’s just about an expired medical license.
My common sense tells me there is more to this story than meets the eyes.
Don’t be surprised if the one you sought to intervene is at the heart of this controversy.
Nothing surprises me in the BVI. Nothing. I know the history of this place all too well and the shenanigans that some people play.
As indicated earlier, I don’t know the details here, so I will leave it there.
So does she or doesn’t she meet the criteria.
All this PR person had to say is she did not meet the criteria of having such and such. Therefore, she could not perform services at the hospital.
Are they scared to stand behind their requirements.
Is she still practicing in the BVI? Is she still performing surgeries in the BVI? There is a licensing authority that should govern her overall right to practice in the BVI whether at BVIHSA or any other medical facility. Is that body not doing their job? Are her credentials expired and somehow only BVIHSA was able to figure this out? What is the truth?
I believe she have a private clinic at picsmith I’m not 100% sure but maybe using the hospital to do these surgeries even though the patient visited them privately. I don’t know maybe someone can say more about this.
These government agencies have to stop weaponizing everything they do, especially bvihsa.
We are sp patriotic
We soo love our country
What has happened to all the doctors the BVI produce?
Why are they not here helping their own people?
Yet still
We lambast foreigners when they come in to fill the gaps
This has nothing to do with due diligence. That is a must for everyone
We do not want skilled workers in the country yet we do not have locals in place.
Where are they ?
Why do they choose to work elsewhere?
Because the high pay cheque of the US got them lil greedy behind twitching. But don’t worry, Donald Trump gon deal with them.
Nuttin’ ain’t properly regulated in de BVI, not even some o’ de doctors. Who really know where some o’ dem trained? Did dey even pass dey exams? How many times dem been negligent, or proven wrong overseas, especially in places like de US where regulation real strict? Even pharmacy and lab work not properly regulated here. No proper body to oversee dem things. Not even a proper board to check on medical equipment! Right now, it feel like wild wild west out yah.
Is a good ting dat slowly, we startin’ to put regulation and accreditation in place. But hear dis — yuh cyaan talk ’bout accuracy and standards if nutten regulated. Everybody haffi comply — doctors, technicians, medications, equipment, and even lab tests. We need proper standards across de board if we want proper healthcare. Simple as dat.
What did parents do ?
Send their children abroad
Who will named the hospitals
Local farmers, lawyers, accountants?
Blame your love for your. Country
We would be forever importing skills and professionals
Stop blaming others for the inefficiency in tge system
That Doc Administrator Saml in charge is a problem for yrs yet they still around, at one time she allegedly banned Esing, everything has to be done by the Purple Palace, she either working with the Palace to get them NHI money or she bad mind and envious..the second problem is a useless minister, who has no solution for anything, cannot fix any problem…Then they want to tell us that this place wouldn’t be better under a Britain rule…
“For the love of country”, you’ve made a salient point!
Instead of casting down on imported medical practitioner’s, we should be chastising our own people for not returning home to practice medicine!
Offer incentives, Health Authority, for the return and eventual practicing of medicine, in this community!
Now, IS, the time!
@Ausar. Sometimes I do not agree with your views, but I definately agree with you here.
I’ll go a bit further. Not only recruit some of our own, but once they get here, treat them with respect…no more, or no less than others…just respect.
What drives and keep people away is the treatment metted out to them while here. Give people a reason to not only come but stay and conditions in the hospital can improve.