SENATOR MICHAEL DARVILLE ON PHA CONTRACT
The following statement was issued by Dr. Michael Darville in response to allegations made by Dr. Duane Sands, the Minister of Health on the Health Management Information System in the Public Hospitals Authority.
18th November 2019
The long and short of the story in this morning’s Tribune is that Dr Duane Sands, the Minister of Health has no idea what he is talking about. As far as we are concerned this is another one of his political distractions to deflect the multiple challenges that currently exist brought on by his poor leadership.
In addition, The Tribine has written a story and did not disclose that Robert Carron its publisher served as Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Public Hospital Authority at the material times and the person responsible for projects if this type on the Board. He is also an FNM Ideologue. So, one must look at this story coming from him with a jaundice eye
After almost three years of wasting tax payers money on multiple forensic audits the Free national Movement has made it clear to the Bahamian people that instead of governing they have one thing in mind and that is to try and discredit the Progressive Liberal Party and our aggressive healthcare agenda that if not stopped reviewed and cancelled by the Minister of Health could have played a pivotal role in the transformation of the public healthcare system prior to the full launch of universal healthcare by way of National Health Insurance.
We make no apologies in awarding the contract to AllScripts, a reputable US medical software company. The experts recommended them as the Number One choice.
In awarding the contract, we wanted to modernize our public healthcare system to produce a single medical record, improve supply chains, revenue cycle management services by computerizing the administrative arms of the Princess Margaret hospital, the Rand Memorial Hospital and clinics. We intended to collect the much needed operational capital mainly from insurance companies, tourists and expat workers who continue to use the public healthcare medical and surgical services, diagnostic and lab facilities without being charged or receiving billing in a timely fashion sometimes years after.
But instead for focusing on collecting precious outstanding revenue and improving medical outcomes at all of our tertiary healthcare facilities and the clinics throughout the family islands the Minister of Health has spent the last two and a half years years complaining about what the PLP did not do, while trying to discredit the policies and programmes we and former governments left behind. And now this silly, false story in the press today.
To date the Minister of Health, cannot point to anything tangible this administration has brought to the table and has failed to outline any transformative policy that would bring meaningful improvement to healthcare infrastructure, create more equity in the system and improve the delivery of quality healthcare at our hospitals and clinics throughout the country.
The truth of the matter is the Minister of Health and this Minnis led administration failed to exercise leadership and instead it continues to blame the PLP for the problems which have arisen out of the FNM’s stop review and cancel policies that have now pushed them into possible litigation brought on by possible contractual violations to existing agreements they met in place by the former administration.
The Allscripts contract was awarded according to all due processes and there is no truth of the fact that the company got special privileges in the bidding process. Contrary to The Tribune story, Allscripts did not submit their bid late and it was done in accordance with all the appropriate rules of the Board.
Finally, the public should know that the FNM under Duane Sands cancelled the contract. So, if there are problems with the system in the PHA today, Dr Sands must take full responsibility and stop blaming the PLP.
The truth of the matter is the Minister of Health is embarrassed because he has been judicially condemned and should step aside and allow someone who can handle it, take the wheel.
End