Twenty years ago this month, Bermuda Healthcare Services (BHCS) opened its doors in Paget.Founded by Dr Ewart Brown, the family practice has been located on The Lane in Paget, providing medical care and diagnostic services for locals.“In 1993, we opened a family practice clinic complete with x-ray services, Bermuda’s first modern mammography suite, diagnostic ultrasound and electrocardiography,” explained Dr Brown, who had practised in Los Angeles, California, for 20 years prior to returning to Bermuda.Starting off with one doctor and four support staff, the practice has grown in the last two decades to now employ two family practitioners — Dr Mahesh Reddy and Dr Edgar Griffith — along with ten support staff, 75 percent of which are Bermudian.In 2006, Dr Brown left the practice to pursue public service endeavours, including holding the post of Premier from 2006 to 2010.Today, BHCS sees about 1,000 patient visits per month and offers a number of diagnostic services, including echocardiography, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, diagnostic ultrasound and Bermuda's only open Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit.“BHCS is the most comprehensive private clinic on the Island,” said Dr Brown, adding that the practice discontinued their mammography service in 2008 in order to accommodate their digital x-ray suite. “Essentially we provide a medical ‘one-stop shop’ for our patients in a very private setting. It avoids the need to go to the hospital for everything.”In 1997, the clinic formally partnered with the Lahey Clinic, which is a Tufts University School of Medicine hospital based in Burlington, MA.“One condition was beyond discussion,” explained Dr Brown. “The institution had to agree to send doctors to Bermuda to see patients. In 1997, BHCS and Lahey became affiliated and since then thousands of Bermudians have been served by sub-specialists from Lahey, without incurring the extra costs of travelling abroad. It makes sense that it is more efficient for one doctor to travel to Bermuda than for 30 patients to travel to Boston or anywhere else.”Dr Brown said that his hope for the next 20 years is that BHCS will continue to provide “top-class service” to their patients regardless of their social or economic status.To acknowledge their patients for their support and patronage over the years, the clinic is publicly thanking them through several multimedia outlets.For more information on the practice, visit www.bhcs.bm