By Caribbean Medical News Staff
Cayman Islands Health City has developed into a “power-house” of the medical tourism industry. Each year scores of tourists travel thousands of miles not only to take in the picturesque sites of the island, but also to capitalize on the affordable cost of healthcare.
Miguel Goede and Runy Calmera who are both Curacao-based development consultants, spoke about an array of opportunities available to the region. Some of the areas mentioned are the film industry, higher education, ecotourism, sports and medical tourism. The two specialists highlighted the significant benefits of medical tourism relative to the Caribbean.
They said that, “healthcare tourism based on niche markets is an opportunity, as the Cayman Islands is currently doing with Health City Cayman Islands. New hospitals could be built with two audiences in mind: locals and health tourists – meaning a better quality of care at home and additional revenue.”
Health City’s Marketing Director Shomari Scott thanked the two consultants for speaking about Health City, as well as other sustainable development opportunities for the region, such as green energy and the blue economy (harnessing energy from the ocean) et al.
“These are two areas that we have fully embraced at Health City,” said Scott; while emphasising that Health City Cayman Islands was built with sustainability and safety in mind. He added that, “the tertiary care hospital, for example, was constructed to be highly energy efficient and to include hurricane protection standards.”
Health City is working with the Cayman Islands government to allow the installation of an incineration facility for medical waste. “Given that there is only one incinerator on the island, this will not only provide a second incineration option but it will also reduce transport of potentially harmful waste. Extremely efficient, cutting edge, zero emission technology will be introduced at Health City and will reduce our power demand by approximately 50 percent “said Scott.
