To tackle a growing shortage of healthcare workers and resources, Bermuda and Grenada are about to sign a memorandum of understanding.

Fintech firm Apierion’s chief executive officer, Michael Dershem, said the two islands wanted to work with his firm to develop a digital platform for the world’s first cross-border standard credentialling framework.

“The MoU is going to be soon,” Mr Dershem said. “It is being drafted right now.”

The initiative paves the way for the sharing of healthcare resources and professionals.

Ricky Brathwaite, the chief executive of the Bermuda Health Council, said the MoU was not an agreement that would automatically allow doctors or specialists to work remotely between Bermuda and Grenada.

Instead, it lays the groundwork for building mutual understanding and trust in each other’s credentialling systems. This could, over time, support more efficient regulatory processes, including the possibility of streamlined verification or shared resource planning.

Dr Brathwaite said: “There have been previous regional efforts within the Caribbean aimed at harmonising or sharing credentialling standards for healthcare professionals.

“None have resulted in a fully implemented and operational system across jurisdictions,” he added.

Mr Dershem said: “Dickon Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada, is forward-thinking. He is also the chief of Caricom [the Caribbean Community]. If we can create this between Grenada and Bermuda, then we should be able to move it pretty quickly to other countries, which, again, all have the same issue.”

The region still lacks a fully operational, secure platform for real-time credential verification, he said.

“Our work with Grenada would aim to change that by developing a practical model that blends regulatory trust with digital innovation,” Mr Brathwaite said.

“In essence, we are looking to do something that no one has been able to do before.”

Mr Dershem said a doctor in Bermuda cannot take a telemedicine call in Jamaica unless they are licensed in Jamaica.

“That makes total sense,” he said. “However, what happens when we need to share resources as a region? How do we do that? How do we break down those borders to authenticate the digital identity of those professionals?”

The new platform allows for the sharing of resources.

“For example, if there is a young girl in Bermuda that has an eating disorder and there is no local specialist, we can have someone in Grenada fill that gap or vice versa,” Mr Dershem said.

The MoU comes a year after Apierion deployed a digital medical twin healthcare credentialling application in Bermuda.

A medical digital twin is a virtual, data-driven representation of a patient's physical body, created using their medical records, and other information, that allows healthcare professionals to optimise treatments.

Mr Dershem said Bermuda was a great place for a technology sandbox, with its healthcare stakeholders near one another.

“Bermudians should be very proud that this is going on here,” he said.

Dr Brathwaite said both countries had unique licensing systems, shaped by their legislation and healthcare environments.

“They are not identical but there are areas of overlap, particularly in qualifications from major international jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada,” he said. “Part of this collaboration would involve mapping those similarities and differences to better inform any future recognition processes.”

The advantages for Bermuda include greater access to regional expertise, a more responsive workforce planning model and the ability to build regional resilience, especially in specialities where availability is limited.

“We already leverage resources from the region in a significant way,” Dr Brathwaite said. “We need partnerships because we are not producing enough professionals locally to stand on our own. That is the same for most countries these days.”

He saw the MoU as the start of a workforce conversation, not a precursor to sending patients to other countries to receive care.

“Such an MoU also positions Bermuda, with willing partners, as a leader in shaping a digital, secure and portable credentialling system that could benefit the broader Caribbean,” Dr Brathwaite said.