Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has detailed a new healthcare initiative between the Grenadian government and the Mount Sinai Health System.

Mount Sinai, selected from a pool of five international bidders, is conducting a comprehensive 90-day gap assessment to identify the current challenges within Grenada’s healthcare infrastructure.

This assessment marks the first stage in what the Prime Minister hopes will be a long-term partnership to establish Grenada’s first “smart hospital”.

Mount Sinai was chosen based on its international reputation and extensive experience in healthcare operations and consultancy.

“We think it’s vital to ensure that we have international partnerships,” Prime Minister Mitchell explained in a recent interview on the National Democratic Congress podcast, “The aim here is to provide healthcare at a first-class international standard, and for that, we need help and partnership.”

The New York-based Mount Sinai Health System is a recognized leader in the healthcare field, encompassing the Icahn School of Medicine and eight hospital campuses.

The institution has extensive experience in healthcare consultancy and runs hospitals and medical education facilities, uniquely positioning it to support Grenada’s vision for a modernized healthcare system.

Mitchell underscored that the Mount Sinai team is tasked with conducting a detailed analysis over 90 days to assess Grenada’s healthcare challenges.

“They are here to come in, look at what is happening, interview staff, meet with management, and assess our hospitals and primary healthcare system to get a true sense of what we currently do,” Mitchell said, highlighting the importance of an informed, comprehensive approach.

This process will help outline the areas of improvement and establish a foundation for the anticipated “smart hospital” project.

Beyond the gap analysis, Mount Sinai is also exploring long-term partnership options with Grenada, though Mitchell emphasized that this relationship depends on future negotiations.

Should the partnership with Mount Sinai not solidify, Grenada has other shortlisted options, including InterHealth from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Mayo Clinic from North America.

“For us, it is crucial to have a partner committed to both long-term and short-term support,” Mitchell noted, emphasizing the need for a partner to guide the immediate upgrades and the eventual clever hospital design and operational framework.

The intelligent hospital initiative reflects the government’s commitment to revamping Grenada’s healthcare infrastructure. Plans include securing financing models architectural designs, and obtaining necessary medical equipment and construction services to bring the hospital to fruition.

This new facility, intended to be “climate-smart,” aims to enhance access to care and address the systemic issues that drive Grenadians to seek medical services abroad.

Mount Sinai’s involvement has sparked public discussion, particularly on the potential impact on healthcare costs. In response to concerns, Mitchell clarified, “Mount Sinai’s role is not to drive up healthcare costs.

Whether services are paid for is a government decision, and we have to be honest about how healthcare is funded to achieve sustainable quality improvements.”

The proposed innovative hospital is part of a broader plan exploring public-private partnerships as Grenada seeks to make healthcare accessible and sustainable through a mixed financing model.

Mitchell assured that the government remains committed to creating a national health insurance scheme to reduce healthcare-related financial risks for Grenadians.