By Rebecca DiBiase I recently completed my master’s degree in public health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Through the help of two projects I worked on during my master’s degree, I rediscovered a niche in the field of global health that I find particularly unique and exciting: international medical education. I initially(...)
Latin America
When Helping Could Hurt: Experiences in Global Health
Posted by | Latin America, Medical Education, Patient CareBy Rebecca DiBiase I wrote this blog post as I was flying to Peru to volunteer at a traveling medical clinic. In preparation for my trip, I read an insightful book called When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert that addresses the challenges and pitfalls of relief and development work in low-income(...)
Stirred by Our Shared Vulnerabilities
Posted by | Latin America, Medical Education, Patient CareBy Rebecca DiBiase I sat, enveloped by the clinic’s dusty walls and chalky smell. It felt as if a fog of gray haze had descended over the building and muted the surrounding colors. Two plastic chairs were next to the door, with one single picture of skeletal anatomy hanging above them, forcing the makeshift closet(...)
A Story of Resounding Hope
Posted by | Latin America, Medical Technology, Patient CareEach year at Johns Hopkins Medicine International, we welcome about 4,500 patients who travel from all over the world, trusting us to coordinate every aspect of their care while they’re receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins. Let me share one patient’s story: Mateo was born May 14, 2014, in Mexico City after a complication-free pregnancy and(...)
What’s Behind the Pursuit for Excellence?
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Patient CareBy Dr. Nelson Novarro At the most recent Johns Hopkins Medicine International Partners Forum, I had the pleasure of presenting Pacífica Salud Hospital Punta Pacífica’s (HPP) journey to open a stroke center of excellence. We successfully opened the center last June, but our journey certainly wasn’t an easy one. We began to discuss the possibility(...)
One for the Record Books
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Latin America, Patient Care, Patient SafetyOn 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(...)
Localizing Clinical Care
Posted by | Asia Pacific, Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Medical Technology, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient SafetyHealth 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(...)
Translating Research Into Results
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Latin America, Medical EducationHow do you define medical research? Many people might say it’s all about identifying new molecules or inventing treatments. But this is only part of the research continuum. At Johns Hopkins, we focus on each stage of translational research, which “translates” findings from basic science through to clinical application and meaningful health outcomes for individuals(...)
No Stone Left Unbroken
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Latin America, Medical EducationIrma Purisch People who’ve passed kidney stones often describe the pain as being worse than childbirth, broken bones, gunshot wounds, burns or surgery. One man said, “If you’ve ever been stabbed repeatedly in the stomach or had a lightning bolt strike you over and over again in your abdomen, you can get a sense of(...)
On the Same Wavelength
Posted by | Academic Medicine, Asia Pacific, Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient Care, ResearchMy colleagues and I have mentioned in our posts that Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) has nearly 20 affiliates from 15 countries—on five continents. We’re very proud of these affiliations with leading hospitals, health providers, governments and educational institutions from around the world. You may be wondering how we arrive at these relationships. Many organizations(...)