Adventist Hospital in Jamaica Continues to Expand, Installs New President

Andrews Memorial Hospital (AMH), a healthcare institution operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, recently unveiled new plans and strategies to continue providing services in Kingston, the nation’s capital. The 79-year-old institution, which is part of the Adventist Healthcare Services – Inter-America network, also installed its new administrator.

Donmayne Gyles became the new president and chief executive officer of AMH during a special ceremony on May 13, 2023. Gyles succeeds Dr. Patric Rutherford, who led the institution for a cumulative 22 years.

In his handing over of the baton, Dr. Rutherford expressed his confidence in Gyles. “I am a happy man today because God has blessed me with fulfilling the last piece of my assignment to this hospital,” he said. “It’s a joy to serve, and when you leave, you don’t want to leave and see things crumble behind you; you want to see things build and grow beyond where you have been.”

AMH was officially opened in 1944 after the purchase of land at 27 Hope Road in 1943 by the General Conference and the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.

Dr. Rutherford emphasized that no organization rises above its leadership, so the key to future growth is finding the caliber of leadership that is going to take it the next step.

“We have worked together for two years,” said Rutherford. “I have had the privilege of sharing some things with you because as we grapple with the problems and challenges that we face, I realize that your thinking is embedded and engrossed in the process and in the understanding of what it takes to move to the next step.” He shared that he has the utmost confidence that God has blessed Gyles and prepared him for the administrative task.

About AMH Services

AMH currently has 60 beds and offers a wide range of healthcare services, including radiology, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, a vegetarian cafeteria, a dental unit, a corporate health facility, an inpatient facility, an outpatient facility, and four operating theaters.

The hospital is the only one in Jamaica that processes medicals for USA visa immigrants. AMH was contracted to offer COVID-19 vaccines to the general public and able to admit non-COVID-19 medical patients with severe illnesses under a public/private partnership.

Currently, AMH is partnering with the government of Jamaica under its Project CODE CARE initiative to assist with the reduction of its backlog of elective surgical cases.

Gyles, whose position as president and CEO was effective April 1, 2023, served as the institution’s vice president of Finance and chief financial officer (CFO).

In his response, Gyles, who began denominational work 18 years ago, never envisioned standing in his new capacity. “Every milestone, every appointment, every move was an indication of God’s leading in my life, and so today, I am first giving thanks to God for His leading and direction in my life, and for this opportunity that He has afforded me to lead this noble institution.”

Future Plans

Gyles said AMH’s strategic future will focus on five strategic issues: service quality, patient experience, employee experience, brand recognition through marketing and public relations, and financial stability.

“We are on track to reopening our high-dependency unit [HDU] later this year, with a view of growing this service over the next couple of years into a fully functional intensive care unit,” explained Gyles. “We have already recruited key specialist nurses for this service and are in discussions with other stakeholders to facilitate its successful and sustainable future.”

AMH will soon be able to implement a catheterization laboratory (cath lab), including nursing care and the engagement of lead cardiologists to utilize the service and help with the roll-out of the cardiac program. The hospital is also on target to start offering MRI services by July, reported Gyles.

“Based on our assessment, this is a needed to help satisfy the demand for such services and support in reducing the local backlog created, and we thank wholeheartedly our global partner for decades, AdventHealth [formerly Florida Hospital], for their benevolence through which this unit, along with the cath lab, was donated to us,” Gyles added.

Currently, AMH is in a research partnership with Loma Linda University Health (LLUH), which includes raising funds for the procurement of three major pieces of lab equipment. LLUH recently donated a MicroScan machine that will make the processing of microbiology samples faster and more efficient.

In addition, LLUH is also providing the hospital with guidance and technical assistance for restructuring the layout and workflow of the lab’s physical plant and expertise needed to move the operation to accreditation.

Plans are underway to have a fifth operating theater, 40 new beds, a dialysis center, and a partnership for kidney transplant surgery.

From Good to Great

In his remarks during the service, Frank Géneus, M.D., Health Ministries director for the Inter-American Division, said it was important to be present during the ceremony and reassure leaders of the IAD’s support for the healthcare institution. “You are not alone with this because we work with those who are a part of those who are encouraging Andrews Memorial Hospital in its irresistible ascension from good to great,” Dr. Géneus said.

Pastor Everett Brown, AMH Board chairman, praised the commitment and dedication of Gyles and his years of experience, which have equipped him as an ideal person to serve as CEO of Andrews Memorial Hospital. “The Board of Governors have every confidence that with a united and committed leadership team and staff beside him, the hospital is poised to move to the next level of delivering Christ-centered service to the citizens of Jamaica and beyond.”

In October 2010, The Gleaner, one of two national newspapers in Jamaica, described Andrews Memorial Hospital as a gift to Jamaica from the church when it presented AMH with the Gleaner Honor Award for its commitment to providing first-class health care.

The original version of this story was posted by the Inter-American Division website.