MEDICAL chief of staff at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), consultant neurosurgeon Dr Carl Bruce says the institution’s focus remains clear as it continues one of the most significant periods of growth and transformation changes in its history.

According to Bruce, over the past several years the UHWI has undertaken major reforms aimed at modernising patient care while strengthening its position as the Caribbean’s leading teaching hospital and delivering world-class healthcare through innovation, expanded services, and improved outcomes.

Speaking recently at the Caribbean Neurosciences Symposium, Bruce pointed to what he described as the remarkable progress achieved across the institution in recent years.

He noted that the UHWI performed more than 103,000 procedures in 2025, the highest number in the hospital’s history and is projected to complete approximately 120,000 procedures in 2026, reflecting continued growth in demand for specialised health-care services.

“The objective has always been to ensure that every patient receives care that meets international standards,” Bruce said. “Healthcare continues to evolve and UHWI must evolve with it.”

He said one of the hospital’s most significant achievements has been its transition from paper-based patient records to electronic medical records, allowing clinicians faster access to patient information, improved medication tracking, and greater efficiency throughout the health-care system.

“The digital transformation has also introduced a transparent surgical waiting list, providing greater accountability and fairness in the scheduling of procedures.

“The hospital’s clinical capacity has also expanded considerably, with more than 50 consultants joining UHWI over the past seven years, strengthening specialist services across multiple disciplines,” added Bruce.

He said beyond technology and staffing, the UHWI continues to invest heavily in infrastructure. Construction is progressing on a 120,000-square-foot expansion that will significantly enhance cancer care and other specialised medical services through new oncology facilities, radiation services, transplant capabilities and expanded mammography services.

Bruce said among the hospital’s recent milestones was the successful performance of its first interventional radiology procedure to remove blood clots from a patient suffering from bilateral pulmonary embolism, an advanced, life-saving intervention that would previously have required treatment overseas or may not have been available to many patients.

Looking ahead Bruce said the UHWI is preparing to introduce robotic-assisted surgery for prostate cancer, an advancement expected to improve surgical precision while reducing recovery times for patients.

“The programme will represent another significant step in providing internationally recognised standards of care for Jamaican patients,” declare Bruce.

He also reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to education, research and regional collaboration, and argued that the UHWI continues to serve as a centre for medical excellence across the Caribbean through initiatives such as the Caribbean Neurosciences Symposium, which brought together leading clinicians, researchers, and health-care innovators from across the region and internationally.

“As health-care professionals, our responsibility extends beyond today’s patients,” Bruce said.

“We are building a health-care system that is stronger, smarter and better prepared for future generations. Every advancement we make is ultimately about improving the lives of the people we serve,” added Bruce.

He declared that from embracing digital healthcare and expanding specialist services to introducing cutting-edge surgical technologies, the UHWI continues to position itself at the forefront of medical innovation in the Caribbean, reinforcing its commitment to delivering safe, accessible and world-class healthcare for Jamaica and the wider region.