The Tribune

Two Bahamian physicians now lead critical and core health services in the Grand Bahama Health System (GBHS).

Dr Michelle Sweeting, the newly-appointed clinical director of the Accident & Emergency Department at the Rand Memorial Hospital and her counterpart, Dr Tiadra Dorsett-Johnson who now serves as the new clinical director for community health services at GBHS, took up their appointments in early January this year.

Dr Michelle Sweeting is a trained, certified trauma and emergency medicine specialist with certifications in acute wound care, public health management and research.

Among other medical certifications and academic accolades, Dr Sweeting is an accomplished speaker and author in the scientific medical and research forum.

Her commitment to continued medical education underpinned the role she played in the start of the emergency medicine postgraduate programme (UWI/SMCR) in The Bahamas.

A statement issued by the Public Hospitals Authority said: “Dr Sweeting is committed to the service of quality evidence-based emergency healthcare to all patients presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department.

“During her tenure with Grand Bahama Healthcare Services, her goal is to achieve and maintain quality assurance in the management and well-being of patients, and among staff during the day-to-day operations of the Emergency Department.”

Dr Dorsett-Johnson is trained in family medicine who holds a Masters and Diploma in Family Medicine, Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery from UWI, and Bachelors in Art from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.

Dr Johnson was the first full-time family medicine consultant to work at the Elizabeth Estates Clinic in New Providence where she held the post of clinical co-ordinator of family medicine.

The authority said: “During her tenure, she played a vital role in the Elizabeth Estate’s Community Clinic management; pioneered physician triaging; and was instrumental in the development of a survey to determine value added by family medicine services within the Elizabeth Estates Clinic community.

“Dr Johnson was involved in several research projects, the most prominent being her research on the prevalence of undiagnosed peripheral arterial disease in patients attending the Family Medicine Clinic, New Providence.

“Additionally, Dr. Johnson has completed training in HIV management for primary care physicians and is current in her certification for Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).”

The managing director at the authority, Herbert Brown, lauded the accomplishments of the physicians.

He added: “The Public Hospitals Authority and by extension Grand Bahama Health Services is pleased to have been afforded the exceptional talent of these women who have demonstrated their commitment to excellence in quality healthcare.

“We expect great things as a result of these appointments, as they come at a time when the PHA is embarking on a new dimension of growth and development in keeping with the collective mandate of the Government and Authority to improve clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction and the provision of safe patient care.”