Health Minister Osbourne Bodden has announced Cayman’s 4th annual Healthcare Conference is scheduled to take place from 17 to 19 October, 2013 at The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman. The announcement came at a press conference held today in which Minister Bodden said that Caymanians were still following an unhealthy lifestyle and should pay heed to the information the conference would bring with regards to the importance of following a healthy diet and enjoying regular exercise.

The three-day event will bring together established healthcare professionals from all aspects of the industry, both locally and abroad, who will be sharing their knowledge with delegates, providing unique insight into current issues facing the industry and vital information about health issues affecting a broad spectrum of people.

This year, organisers have built the programme around the theme: Taking Care of Business: A Shared Approach to Workplace Wellness. Health Services Authority (H.S.A.) CEO Lizzette Yearwood explains this year’s theme choice:

“Drawing on our experiences from previous conferences, as well as recent healthcare surveys that show the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Cayman, we realised that this year’s conference ought to be as inclusive of as wide a section of the public as possible. We hope that everyone will see the relevance of the presentations and attend,” she states.

Minister Bodden says getting the nation healthier is a priority of his new Ministry. Education initiatives such as the Healthcare Conference are an important aspect of this policy, he confirms.

“The findings of our 2012 Healthy Nation survey have thrown into sharp focus that we are still leading unhealthy lifestyles, such as continuing to smoke, eating unhealthy foods and not participating in regular exercise,” he confirms. “We therefore anticipate that the Healthcare Conference will help to inform the audience about ways in which they can improve their health. Targeting wellness in the workplace, it is hoped that the conference will go a long way to improving the health and wellbeing of all employees across industries. The workplace is, after all, a location in which we spend a large part of our day, so it is an excellent place to focus our energies, health-wise. If we get Cayman leading a healthier lifestyle we hopefully cut down the prevalence of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. This will go a long way to reducing expenditure for the private and public sector in the long term. We also need to address the serious situation of growing obesity in our young people and we hope that this conference will also lead to corrective action in that area and ensure that employers and our schools address this matter urgently.”

In addition to the three days of presentations, the organisers have introduced workshops that speak to the theme of ‘Info to Action’.

Ministry Chief Officer, Jennifer Ahearn explains: “These sessions will present and expand on the theme in more detail, bringing together perspectives from a broad range of individuals, including healthcare providers, general practitioners, patients, and other stakeholders, in an attempt to build a bigger picture of health issues facing people in Cayman today. The session results will then be presented to the delegates on the final day of the conference during an overview session.”

The conference is free to attend and open to the public. Registration is mandatory and will begin Tuesday July 2nd through the conference website – www.healthcareconference.ky

While there are still opportunities for sponsorship of this exciting event, the following organisations have already pledged their support: Tenet Healthcare, 21st Century Oncology, Tower Marketing, Health Services Authority, the University of California – San Diego Health System, The Wellness Centre, The Caymanian Compass, Broward Health, Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital and Cleveland Clinic. Sponsorship package details can be found on the conference website at:
http://healthcareconference.ky/sponsorships.html or by emailing healthcareconference@tower.com.ky.

For updates on speakers, sponsors and program check the healthcare conference site atwww.healthcareconference.ky or join them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caymanhealthconference.

Caribbean News Now – June 2013
Youtube – 24 June 2013
Radio Cayman – 25 June 2013
Caymanian Compass – 11 July 2013
Cayman Active – 11 July 2013