KPMG’s Global Head of Healthcare, Beccy Fenton was in Bridgetown last week to meet with policy makers, academics and public and private healthcare providers to discuss the future opportunities for digital healthcare in Barbados.  

Fenton was hosted by KPMG in Barbados and the firm’s global centre of excellence for island healthcare team. The centre, led by Dr Edward Fitzgerald, Head of KPMG Islands Group Healthcare and Life Sciences, serves as a hub to bring together international experience and learnings in island-based healthcare. The centre also aims to foster networking and knowledge sharing opportunities among island healthcare stakeholders, which was a central theme of Fenton’s visit.

Fenton spoke at the University of West Indies Digital Health Symposium: From Innovation to Impact: Advancing Digital Health in the Caribbean. She urged attendees to move beyond isolated examples of digitalisation in the health sector towards governed, interoperable and data-driven systems that translate investment into improved access, coordination and outcomes.  

“Barbados has a real opportunity to shape a more connected, resilient and patient-centred health system through digital transformation. The priority now is to accelerate from the current digitisation of paper records and move towards integrated, interoperable systems across the whole care continuum that improve access, support clinicians and deliver better outcomes for patients. With strong collaboration, clear governance and a focus on public trust, Barbados is well placed to lead by example in the region,” said Fenton.

The KPMG island healthcare team also hosted a workshop at the Symposium focusing on digital solutions to reduce missed appointments. The team used a fictional case study to map a clinic appointment workflow, surface targeted digital interventions to reduce no‑shows, and prioritize options that are realistic and scalable in the regional context.

Participants - clinicians, health-system managers, digital-health practitioners, policymakers, and implementation partners – worked together to develop their solutions, demonstrating how a multidisciplinary approach is critical to successfully tackling these types of challenges.  

Ministry of Health officials, academics, public and private health providers and representatives of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) attended an evening reception hosted by Dr Edward Fitzgerald, who commented:  "Scaling digital health strategies in any location must be grounded in digital inclusion, literacy and trust, paired with robust privacy protections, transparent governance and consent frameworks so patients know their personal health data is secure”.  

“We can learn from other island jurisdictions to adopt what has worked and avoid costly mistakes and fragmentation. With the right foundations, Barbados can fast-track secure, integrated systems that cut duplication, reduce administrative burden and improve patient outcomes. The potential for Barbados is significant, not only to manage chronic healthcare burdens but also create a healthy, happy, and productive population.”

Christopher Brome, Office Managing Partner, KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean concluded: “Carefully implemented digital healthcare strategies could bring care closer to home for many Barbadians. Being able to consult a doctor remotely, spend less time travelling or waiting, and stay continuously supported through tools like remote monitoring could have a significantly positive impact on the lives of many people in our community. We look forward to continuing the conversations started last week.”