VIRGIN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (VIDOH)
The Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH) is charged by legislation with the provision and management of health services for all residents and visitors to the Territory. It is almost entirely financed by the VI Government. Due to the federal cap on Medicaid for the Territory, the VIDOH has no option but to severely limit the eligibility for Medicaid recipients resulting in less than adequate resources to service indigent populations.

HOSPITALS
There are two hospitals in the Territory, the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFLH) on St. Croix and the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital (RLSH) on St. Thomas. The hospitals in the Virgin Islands are reimbursed for services according to Section 18 86(b) of the Social Security Act, as amended by Section 101 of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) of 1982. VI hospitals are TEFRA facilities, Fee-For-Service (FFS) hospitals, paid on the basis of Medicare reasonable costs per case, limited by a specific target amount per discharge.

The hospitals in the Territory are semi-autonomous entities overseen by one territorial board and a district board, one for the hospital on St. Croix and another for the hospital on St. Thomas and the center on St. John.

The Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFLH) on St. Croix is licensed for 188 beds, with a current capacity of 144 beds. The Virgin Islands Cardiac Center (VICC) is a comprehensive cardiovascular program at the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center. The VICC offers a wide range of acute care, ambulatory care, after-care and preventative cardiovascular services such as: diagnostic testing, invasive services, cardiac rehabilitation services, emergency services and acute inpatient care, cardiac education, and vascular access programs.

The JFLH and VICC team continues to expand the level of cardiac services provided. Most recently, the team performed the first Open Heart Surgery in the Territory and the Virgin Islands' first implant of an artificial heart valve during the summer of 2010.

The Roy Lester Schneider Hospital (RLSH) on St. Thomas is the only hospital on St. Thomas. The Schneider Regional Medical Center is the parent company for two facilities on St. Thomas, and one on St. John.

• The Roy Lester Schneider Hospital – licensed for 169 beds

• The Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute – a comprehensive cancer center at the RLS hospital which provides a range of services including radiation oncology, surgical consultations, clinical research and support services in a single facility.

• Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center – on the island of St. John is the only 24-hour outpatient health center that offers primary and preventative health care services. This facility also provides services in women's health, well-baby care, immunizations, radiology, nutritional counseling, laboratory, minor surgery, and community education programs.

There are no health facilities on Water Island.

NURSING HOME AND HOME HEALTH AGENCY
SeaView Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility is the only Medicare certified nursing home in the Territory and is located on St. Thomas. Sea View Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility provides long term, short term, respite, and adult day care. There is one Medicare certified home health agency in the Territory, Sea View Health Care Services that has offices on both St Croix and St. Thomas.

HOSPICE
There are two Medicare certified hospices in the Virgin Islands. Continuum Care, Inc. (CCI) and La Paz Hospice Care. CCI was the first Medicare certified hospice in the Virgin Islands and has offices on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St, John. They opened on St. Croix in 2000 and expanded their services to St. Thomas/St. John in February 2004.

La Paz Hospice Care started providing services on St. Croix in 2006 and on St. Thomas in 2007; receiving their Medicare certification in October 2007

DIALYSIS FACILITIES
There are three dialysis facilities in the Virgin Islands. Each hospital has a dialysis unit and there is one Medicare certified private dialysis facility on St. Croix, the Caribbean Kidney Center (CKC) that has been providing dialysis services since 2003. Presently, the CKC is building a satellite office on the west end of St. Croix to accommodate the growing number of dialysis patients in the Territory. The satellite facility is scheduled to be opened in 2012.

PHYSICIAN POPULATION
As per the 2011 data from the Virgin Islands Board of Medical Examiners, there are approximately 179 physicians fully licensed to practice in the Territory. This list includes permanent and SUL (special un-restricted license, which allows them to practice privately). This count does not include institutional physicians who work for the government whether the hospitals or clinics and does not include locum doctors.

VIMI works closely with the Virgin Islands Medical Society (VIMS) to promote quality improvement. VIMS is a chapter of both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Medical Association (NMA) and is the legally designated organization that speaks on behalf of all physicians. Several members of the VIMS and VIMI are active board members for each organization and practicing physicians, which offers opportunities for collegial discussions on health care issues, concerns, challenges and potential solutions.

VIMI is a member of the Medicare Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC). This committee, which meets quarterly, consists of representatives from the following agencies, the Puerto Rico QIO, PR/VI CMS field office, the Social Security Administration and Medicare contractors such as the FI, and the Carrier for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The Medical Director of VIMI was the Chair of the Committee from 2008- 2010.