Digital health records accessible at clinics across the country and a smartphone application people can use to make doctor’s appointments are among reforms expected in the health sector, Guyana’s Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said Thursday.
Guyana’s healthcare system is set for a digital overhaul following the launch of a National Health Information Systems & Technology (HIST) Workforce Development Program at the Marriott Hotel. The project is supported by the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI).
The HIST program, backed by GGI—a US$100 million initiative funded by the Stabroek Block partners ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC—aims to modernize healthcare delivery by training more than 250 health information systems specialists. The initiative is expected to support the rollout of digital health services across the country.
Dr. Anthony said an electronic health records system will first be introduced at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) before expanding nationwide. The system is expected to centralize patient records, allowing healthcare providers to access medical histories, past prescriptions, and other critical data across different health facilities.
Patients would also eventually have access to a new mobile application, which will display their health records and allow them to schedule doctor’s appointments. “Regardless of which clinic you go to, we should have all your records being integrated,” Anthony said.
Mount Sinai Health System, which runs a hospital network in New York, is leading the project. Its Executive Director for Global Health, Dr. Rachel Vreeman, said the project would be anchored by the new Guyana Digital Health Training Institute, which will prepare personnel to manage and integrate digital technology into the national healthcare system.
“Growing capacity is absolutely critical across a continuum of people that will be needed to make this vision a reality… The intention is for students to be accepted from all 10 regions of Guyana and to be able to have those students then serve facilities across all 10 of these regions,” Vreeman said.
The training institute’s curriculum, drawn from global health programs, is designed for scalability and adaptation to evolving technologies, including artificial intelligence, Vreeman explained. Additionally, the project will establish a national service corps for the trainees to join as they support the digital integration, receiving stipends for their service and having pathways to full employment with the Ministry of Health.
Minister Anthony said many Caribbean countries are eager to fully onboard electronic health record systems and Guyana would be able to share its successes with them.
GGI Lead Alicia Bess Anderson said the project reflects the organization’s “unwavering commitment” to Guyana’s development. “By playing our part, the Greater Guyana Initiative is contributing to a sustainably enhanced healthcare system that provides exemplary service to the citizens,” she said.
ExxonMobil’s Occupational Health Manager, Dr. Sonya Lord, said the project is more than an investment in technology. “It’s an investment in people. In developing a sustainable workforce, you’re laying the foundation for a health system that is efficient, innovative, and built to last,” she said.
Mount Sinai Hospital’s intervention to boost healthcare efficiency in Guyana started in 2022 when John Hess, who sits on its Board of Trustees, announced he will plug US$32 million into a nationwide program to revolutionize public healthcare access. The Guyana government has also allocated funds to support the initiative.
