Jamaica to prioritize customer service in public health reform, says health minister

Jamaica’s Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has revealed plans to significantly improve customer service in the public health sector as part of the country’s broader strategy to enhance health outcomes.

Speaking to members of the Jamaican diaspora in Florida on September 25, Dr. Tufton emphasized that improving the patient experience is essential to empowering communities to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Dr. Tufton, who addressed the gathering at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum as part of Consul General Oliver Mair’s Distinguished Lecture Series, highlighted the role of effective communication in healthcare. “Oftentimes when complaints come, it’s because somebody never talked to patients or persons want to hear something about their relative, and they don’t get that chance,” he said. The minister stressed that customer service is a key component of healthcare, stating, “Therapy is very much embedded in the customer service experience – not just the doctor or the prescription. We really have to work at that.”