Governor Bryan Moves to Establish Virgin Islands Health Data Utility to Strengthen Patient Care and Modernize Healthcare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Nov. 12, 2026 

Governor Bryan Moves to Establish Virgin Islands Health Data  Utility to Strengthen Patient Care and Modernize Healthcare 

Executive order establishes framework to advance secure health information  sharing, improve coordination among healthcare providers and build on recent  federal investment. 

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has taken a major step toward  modernizing healthcare in the U.S. Virgin Islands through an executive order establishing an  interim framework for the Virgin Islands Health Data Utility (HDU), an initiative designed to  improve how hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers securely share patient  information and coordinate care across the Territory. 

The executive order establishes the leadership, governance, and organizational structure  necessary to advance the proposed Health Data Utility while legislation to formally establish  the entity moves forward. The initiative builds on the Bryan-Roach Administration's  investments in healthcare technology and the recent selection of the Virgin Islands as the  nation's first implementation site for a federal health information exchange initiative. 

At its core, the Health Data Utility is intended to address a longstanding challenge in the  Virgin Islands healthcare system: ensuring that patients' medical information is securely  accessible to authorized healthcare providers when and where it is needed. 

For Virgin Islanders who routinely travel between St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and the  U.S. mainland for medical treatment, better access to health records can mean fewer repeated  tests, less time spent waiting for information and improved coordination among medical  professionals. 

"When you're sick and need medical care, the last thing you should have to worry about is  whether your doctor can get your medical records," Governor Bryan said. "We have people  traveling between islands and going to the mainland for treatment every day. Their medical  information should be able to follow them securely so the doctors treating them have what  they need to make the best decisions. That's what we're working toward. We've invested in 

the technology, we've built the partnerships, and now we're putting the structure in place to  make sure this work continues and benefits Virgin Islanders for years to come." 

Under the executive order, the interim framework will operate within the Office of the  Governor in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Office of Health Information Technology  (OHIT), which was established by Governor Bryan in 2022 to coordinate the modernization  of the Territory's healthcare information systems. 

The framework will be led by a Senior Health Data Utility Advisor, supported by dedicated  staff and a nine-member Health Data Utility Board representing major healthcare institutions,  government agencies, medical providers and patient advocates from both districts. 

The board will help guide the development of legislation, patient privacy safeguards, data sharing policies and the organizational structure necessary for the Health Data Utility to  eventually operate as an independent, nonprofit public-benefit corporation. 

The executive order also authorizes the board to organize a nonprofit corporation to pursue  grants, develop partnerships and undertake other preparatory work. The permanent Health  Data Utility, however, will require legislative authorization, and any transfer of government  assets, contracts or data must comply with applicable law. 

The Governor has allocated $500,000 from lawfully available funding sources to support the  interim framework, including staffing, stakeholder engagement, legislative coordination and  operational planning. 

The Senior Advisor will be required to submit an initial work plan within 60 days of  designation and provide progress reports to the Governor every 60 days thereafter. The  interim framework will remain in place for up to 24 months or until the permanent Health  Data Utility's governing board is constituted under the proposed legislation, whichever occurs  first. 

Building on Federal Investment and Existing Progress 

The executive order follows the recent announcement that the U.S. Virgin Islands was  selected as the first implementation site for the National Trusted Exchange Implementation  Initiative, supported by a nearly $600,000 federal contract awarded to Zane Networks and its  partners, net.America and CRISP Shared Services. 

That initiative will help strengthen the Territory's ability to participate in secure nationwide  health information sharing while developing solutions that can serve as a model for other  U.S. territories, Tribal Nations and rural communities. 

The administration has also supported the development of the Virgin Islands' first Health  Information Exchange, which is operational, along with more than $1.3 million in previously  secured federal funding for healthcare technology improvements, electronic medical records  connectivity and disaster recovery capabilities. 

OHIT Executive Director Michelle M. Francis has led much of that work, helping establish  the technological foundation and partnerships necessary to connect the Territory's healthcare  providers.

The proposed Health Data Utility represents the next phase of those efforts, providing a long term governance and operational structure to sustain the technology and expand its benefits  throughout the healthcare system. 

"This is about making our healthcare system work better for the people who depend on it,"  Governor Bryan said. "Technology alone doesn't solve the problem. You need the right  people, the right safeguards and a system that can be sustained. We've made significant  progress building that foundation, and this is how we keep moving forward." 

The administration will continue working with the Legislature, healthcare providers and  federal partners to advance the enabling legislation and prepare for the Health Data Utility's  eventual implementation. 

For more information about the Virgin Islands Office of Health Information Technology, visit  https://ohit.vi.gov. 

###