20 years on for Dr Brown’s practice

Bermuda HealthCare Services celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, having served more than 240,000 patients.

The clinic is owned by former premier Dr Ewart Brown.

Dr Brown said the practice’s affiliation with Lahey Clinic has afforded Bermudians the opportunity to benefit from specialist and sub-specialist care without incurring the cost of travel to the US.

Asked why he decided to open the business, Dr Brown said: “I was practicing in Los Angeles, but always knew that for me to become part of the political life of Bermuda, I would have to return home.

“We had just bought a new home when Freddie Wade called me in 1990.

“He told me that if I was still interested in PLP politics and leadership, I should be in Bermuda before the next election.

“So, in 1991 I began commuting between Los Angeles and Bermuda every month.

“My father had taught me that I should never depend on politics to feed my family, so I decided to gradually set up a medical practice in Bermuda.”

Asked what are the biggest changes between practicing in the 1990s to now, he named three things.

“There has been at least a 100 per cent increase in the number of GPs and family practice doctors.

“Patients have become more aware of their rights. Back in the early 90s a greater number of patients were reluctant or afraid to question their doctors.

“Television has taken away some of the ‘mystique’ of medicine.”

As far as the biggest challenge, Dr Brown said: “The biggest challenge has been controlling the growth of the practice in order to provide excellent care.”

Bermuda HealthCare Services has served about 240,000 patient visits over 20 years.

Dr Brown said if you add hospital patients, the number would be well over 250,000.

Asked what’s next, he said: “We are always trying to stay on the cutting edge. We have a new MRI machine coming this summer and it is awesome.”