The ‘i-screen’ app—a digital tool designed to facilitate health screenings—was officially launched in Saint Lucia on Monday.
The app’s deployment is part of the Capacity Building Project for the Prevention and Control of Metabolic Chronic Diseases, which began in Saint Lucia in March 2023.
According to the Minister for Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs, Moses Jn Baptiste, i-screen was developed by Saint Lucia’s Health Information Unit in collaboration with the Information Technology team from Cathay General Hospital in Taiwan.
During the launch ceremony, Minister Jn Baptiste stated, “This innovative tool is designed to facilitate health screenings at our various community and other outreach activities.”
“The i-screen app will improve our capacity in terms of screening for disease prevention and early diagnosis, leading to better management of health outcomes. Furthermore, the app will streamline data collections and ease the workflow for our wellness centre staff. Hopefully, no longer will there be a need to manually enter each individual encounter upon returning to the facilities,” Jn Baptiste added.
At the event, Taiwan Foreign Minister H.E. Dr. Lin Chia-Lung expressed similar sentiments: “The app will allow healthcare providers to focus more on patient care, and less on paperwork.”
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre noted that he hopes the Health Ministry will inform the public about the app’s capabilities to build confidence and encourage its use. “You must understand, that will be a great paradigm shift for an elderly person if you’re coming into their room with a tablet—they might say, ‘What is that about?’ Pierre remarked.
Pierre added, “We are moving into technology…that tablet is better than the notebook or paper they are accustomed to.”
