Insights on International Collaborative Health
In 1998, with just a handful of staff, Johns Hopkins Medicine established a global ambassador, Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI), to take its mission worldwide: improving the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. Since then, we’ve grown to help Johns Hopkins(...)
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are popular. For a few hundred dollars, companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA promise information about disease risk for customers and their children, details about ancestry, and insights about personal characteristics—like why you may think cilantro tastes like soap. It’s a simple process. Customers just pay, sign a waiver, and send in a(...)
By Dr. James Aw The patient, in his early 20’s, was clinically depressed and struggled with sleep. His family physician prescribed him an antidepressant and medication to treat his insomnia. But his mood wasn’t lifting, and his sleep wasn’t improving. He had difficulty at school and was on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist.(...)
Cancer in the Middle East is on the rise. By 2030, experts predict that the incidence of cancer will double from 2012, thanks to factors such as comparatively limited access to quality health care and detrimental lifestyle choices. I had the honor earlier this summer of speaking at the War on Cancer Middle East 2018,(...)
When you’re ill, it’s a struggle just to change out of your pajamas or heat up a cup of tea. Going into work is out of the question. For patients who are critically ill, traveling for care can feel unbearable. Patients would rather receive treatment locally, where they have family support and can recuperate in(...)
In the complex and continually changing environment of health care, some institutions—including Johns Hopkins—are differentiating themselves by establishing niche programs that deliver world-class care on selected fronts. Known as centers of excellence, these programs provide patients with specialized expertise and resources, and they offer advantages both within and between health care institutions. Patient-Centered Care In(...)
Reasoning defines human intelligence, yet we all too often make choices that utterly defy logic. We’re impatient or irrational—or both—even when it comes to ensuring our own good health. An earlier post covered the huge risk of overprescribing antibiotics. Overuse exposes patients to potentially dangerous side effects, wastes resources, increases antibiotic resistance and spurs the(...)
Dr. Sara Cosgrove The Scottish physician Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928. Since then, antibiotics have transformed modern medicine and saved millions of lives by killing or slowing the growth of the bacteria that cause conditions such as bronchitis and pneumonia. However, shortly after winning the Nobel Prize in 1945, Fleming issued this warning in(...)
On May 11, 2016, Pacifica Salud Hospital Punta Pacifica made history by performing the first successful heart transplant in Panama. For the two years leading up to this event, Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) worked with our affiliate Pacifica Salud behind the scenes, providing guidance in clinical programs, staff development, quality and patient safety. As(...)
Health care is a competitive business. Hospitals often invest in their clinical programs as a way to distinguish themselves in an increasingly tough marketplace. Hospitals offer clinical programs, such as emergency services, to compete directly for patients. Others use some services as a stepping stone leading to other in-demand care, for example, launching cardiac catheterization(...)