MIAMI/PHILIPSBURG:--- Dr. Sam Hess, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The American Clinic (TAC) said on Thursday that he was shocked by what he read with respect to guarantees of US$180-US$200 million being made available by the Social Insurance Bank (SZV) for medical tourism.
In order for the people of Sint Maarten to have the correct information about the interests of TAC and its plans for medical tourism, Dr. Sam Hess made the following statement to bring clarity and transparency to unfounded blogger reports:
"We have no agreement in place either with the SZV or the Government of Sint Maarten where funding of TAC's medical tourism project is concerned. We are not asking for any monetary contribution from either the Government or the SZV, and to say that an agreement is to be signed this Friday is just simply not the truth.
"We have been and are committed to working closely with the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) to improve the quality of medical care available to the people of Sint Maarten. Specifically, we are prepared to provide those specialists that are needed and not currently available on the island.
"Our project is unique when compared to other medical tourism wellness facilities throughout the world. Rarely does a medical tourism project help the resident population. We on the other hand have committed to assisting SMMC and SZV to provide access to specialist not currently available here on the island. This would prevent delays in diagnosis and treatment which is what the people of Sint Maarten want.
"Sint. Maarteners would no longer have to leave the island to travel to Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe/Martinique or Europe. Instead they would be able to have their consultations and treatment done right here at home. They will be able to recover with their family and friends right next to them.
"The American Clinic physicians will follow them after their surgery which is not happening now when they come back from having traveled abroad. Importantly, millions of dollars could be saved by SZV, the Government, and tax payers will obviously benefit as well.
"TAC envisions having the specialist and facility in place to cater to the needs of the Sint Maarten people while working side by side with SMMC which would continue to be the national hospital of the country that meets the basic health needs of the population.
"TAC's role comes into play in areas that SMMC is not able to focus on. This is where the synergy between both health care institutions would be a win-win for the community of Sint Maarten.
"TAC would focus on developing the medical tourism sector which would be its core business bringing millions in new tourism revenue, mitigating and balancing the seasonality of tourism on the island, and employing hundreds of locals in full-time positions. Together with the SMMC, we can make Sint Maarten the shining star of medical excellence in the Caribbean," Dr. Sam Hess, CEO of TAC said on Thursday in bringing clarity and transparency to the issue of public health and medical tourism matters.