The Tribune

Former flight service physician, acute care specialist and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Dr Susan Williams-Lockhart has been appointed clinical director of the Bahamas Wellness Clinic with responsibility for its mobile medicine division.

The announcement came from Dr Arlington Lightbourne, president and CEO of Bahamas Wellness Health System.

"I am delighted to advise that Dr Susan Williams-Lockhart has accepted the post of clinical director for the Bahamas Wellness Clinic, with responsibility for our mobile medicine division, House Call Doctors," said Dr Lightbourne. "With our rapid expansion to help fill the gap in health care services, particularly as those services impact long-term well-being and quality of life, Dr Williams-Lockhart will serve a vital role in managing and participating in our mobile division."

The mobile division of the growing health care services provider operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with medical staff visiting patients who are unable or for whom it is too challenging to get to a facility. It also serves hotels and marinas.

"We are honoured to add Dr Williams-Lockhart to our team of professionals who are dedicated to creating a Bahamas where the majority of people lead long, healthy lives free of preventable disease," said Dr Lightbourne. "Her passion to make quality healthcare accessible to more people is one of many characteristics that distinguishes her. Her perseverance and strength contributed to her becoming one of the few women to accomplish the distinction of being a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons."

Dr Williams-Lockhart earned her medical degree at the University of the West Indies (Jamaica and Barbados) before completing the two parts of her fellowship at the University of Dublin (Ireland) and Edinburgh (Scotland). She has worked in emergency rooms, laparoscopic and general surgery at PMH and Doctors Hospital in Nassau and at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland.

One of the first flight physicians for Bahamian Air Ambulance Service, she delivered patient care to four islands in The Bahamas -- Eleuthera, Long Island, Abaco and Freeport. She established a private medical centre and ambulance service in Andros from 2006 to 2009, and in 2017, she earned an MBA in healthcare administration from South University in Florida. Dr Williams-Lockhart has also taught numerous courses at the tertiary level.

"I am very excited to join a team of doctors, paediatric wellness specialists and lifestyle coaches whose approach to medicine is preventative and dovetails with my beliefs in focusing on keeping patients well rather than treating when they are not," said Dr Williams-Lockhart. "But I also recognise the essential need to respond quickly in an emergency when the quality of life or life itself is at stake. I applaud the Bahamas Wellness Health System for bringing back the role of the doctor coming to you with House Call Doctors and am honoured to serve as director of the mobile division."