Parents often say they would do anything possible to protect the health and happiness of their children. That was certainly the case with the Aldhanhani family from the United Arab Emirates. The Aldhanhanis’ son Khalifa was born with a serious blood disorder known as beta thalassemia, which can enlarge the spleen, liver and heart, and can […]
From Toe Fungus Treatment to Tumor Inhibitor
Posted by | Health Innovation, ResearchEveryone loves a good recycling life hack — whether it’s turning broken crayons into candles, inverting a two-liter soda bottle to make a bird feeder or refashioning a milk jug to make a Stormtrooper helmet. At Johns Hopkins, our investigators are hacking health by finding new uses for old and often-forgotten drugs. Their workspace includes […]
Tackling Saudi Arabia’s Top Health Risk
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health System Sustainability, Middle East, Patient CareNearly half of all adult deaths in Saudi Arabia are from heart disease, while risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes continue surging. “Heart disease is a massive killer here, and there is a paramount need to deliver an excellent cardiac program,” says Harry Parissis, head of cardiac surgery at our joint venture […]
Precision Approach Undoes a Dire Diagnosis
Posted by | Middle East, Patient Care, Precision MedicineThe swelling of Mohammad’s arm affected everything in his life. He couldn’t work or play sports. For a few months, life as he knew it stopped. Mohammad saw various doctors in his home country of Lebanon and finally was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that causes the veins between the base of the […]
Going Way Beyond Language to Treat Chinese Patients
Posted by | Asia Pacific, Patient CareAt Johns Hopkins, we don’t treat disease — we treat people. When a patient feels safe and understood, treatment is less stressful and outcomes improve. Patients from around the world come to us when they are at their most vulnerable, trusting they will receive the highest quality medical care. A critical component of establishing this […]
Striking Back Fast in Stroke Care
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Latin America, Patient CareA stroke can cause brain damage within minutes. Receiving expert care immediately can make all the difference in recovery. Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) affiliates in Panama and Colombia saw the need to elevate stroke care in their countries and sought our support. We connected them with Victor Urrutia, director of the comprehensive Stroke Center […]
Hospitals Aren’t the Be All, End All
Posted by | Asia Pacific, Care Providers, Collaboration, Patient CareIn the past 25 years or so, U.S. health care has changed dramatically — expanding from the limitations of hospital-based care to an integrated system that includes clinics, hospitals and home-based care. Johns Hopkins was on the vanguard of this new clinical delivery model, creating a home care division in 1992. Today, we see home […]
Part of a Nobel Entourage
Posted by | Academic Medicine, Health Innovation, Research“Gregg, when you win the Nobel, I want a ticket.” That’s what I told Dr. Gregg Semenza 25 years ago as he began making serious headway in his research on the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) protein, which switches genes on and off in cells in response to low oxygen levels. Thanks to the research of […]
Little Brother Saves the Day (With Johns Hopkins’ Help)
Posted by | Middle East, Patient CareOften it falls to big brothers to protect their younger brothers. In Zayed’s case, it was his little brother who saved him from a lifetime of regular blood transfusions. As an infant, Zayed was diagnosed with a blood disorder called beta thalassemia. In addition to requiring blood transfusions every 2-4 weeks, the condition can result […]
What Health Care Can Learn From Disney and Expedia
Posted by | Collaboration, Latin America, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient SafetyJohns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) experts work with affiliates around the world on concrete, quantifiable efforts like creating comprehensive clinical programs, designing medical education programs, implementing quality and safety programs, and improving operational efficiencies. However, our consulting work with our international collaborators also emphasizes the “soft” skills necessary for providing patient- and family-centered care. Patients’ […]