Medical Missions: A Practical Approach to Adding Value to One's Career Lorenzo Lim, DO OGME 2 Family Medicine St John Macomb Oakland Goals and objectives Recognize the value of medical missions in fulfilling the profession s commitment to reducing health disparity Identify steps needed to participate in a medical mission Recall different organizations that can serve as starting points for becoming involved in a medical mission Recognizing Value Why go on a medical mission? To serve others Increase awareness of global health issues Personal Growth 1
Serving others A recent analysis conducted by the Global Health Workforce Alliance and WHO estimated a gap of 7.2 million professional health workers in 2012, set to rise to 12.9 million over the next decades. Serving others Provide needed medical care Antiparisitic medications Antibiotics for Infectious diseases Acute Injuries Screening for chronic diseases OPP and OMT Another way that us as DOs can help is through OMT In 2014 on the MSUCOM Peru Medical Mission of 1340 patients that we saw 16% had a chief complaint of musculoskeletal pain Education: 256 participants in 2012 and 2013 have taken part in four OMT workshops with 180 completing the surveys. Most participants reported no prior knowledge of OMT. 75% of participants who completed the surveys (n=135) expressed interest in implementing OMT, or in future OMM classes. 2
Global Health Issues Water insecurity In 2016 the Peru Medical Mission built basic water filters to distribute to communities along the Amazon Vaccine preventable and screening for preventable diseases Cervical cancer screening Dietary counseling to prevent pediatric double burden Poor nutrition and obesity Personal Growth How to get involved Find a trip Type of trip Time commitment Location Pre-trip planning Staying safe 3
Joining a medical mission There are many organizations that conduct medical missions: DOCare MSU Institute of International Health MSU Study Abroad Himalayan Health Exchange International Medical Relief Doctors Without Borders DOcare International www.docareintl.org SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC January 2017 GUATEMALA February 9-25, 2017 LOS ROBLES, SOLOLA, GUATEMALA February 25-March 12, 2017 SAN ANDRES IZTAPA and TECPAN, GUATEMALA February 25-March 11, 2017 TECPAN, GUATEMALA March 4-March 11, 2017 CHACRASECA, NICARAGUA March 18-25, 2017 CHACRASECA, NICARAGUA May 20-28, 2017 IQUITOS, PERU August 13-27, 2017 MSU Institute of International Health MSU Study Abroad Trips to Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Malawi, Mexico, Peru IIH.msu.edu OSA.msu.edu (Study Abroad Office) 4
Other organizations Himalayan Health Exchange http://himalayanhealth.com/about.htm International Medical Relief www.internationalmedicalrelief.org Has trips in Asia, South America, Africa. Himalayan Medical Expedition Doctors Without Borders http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ Pre-trip Planning Vaccinations Prophylactic medications CDC recommendations wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ Vaccinations Typhoid Hepatitis A/B Yellow Fever Only offered at certain approved locations found on CDC website May limit travel to neighboring countries if unvaccinated 5
Prophylaxis Zoonotic infections Malaria prophylaxis Make sure to use prophylaxis that is appropriate medication for where you will go Permethrin Insect Repellant At least DEET 20% Travelers Diarrhea Pepto-Bismol 2-4 Tabs daily reduces risk by 50-65% Antibiotics Clean water water filters or bottled water Avoid Imodium or other antidiarrheal if blood is present in stool Other Considerations Most trips arrange for emergency medical evacuation insurance www.squaremouth.com To compare travel insurance options Travel safely Most medical missions don t go to places frequented by tourists Questions? 6
References Sanford, Christopher, A. D. A. M. McCONNELL, and Justin Osborn. "The Pretravel Consultation." American Family Physician 94.8 (2016). World Health Organization (WHO). "Health workforce 2030: a global strategy on human resources for health." World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www. who. int/workforcealliance/knowledge/resources/strategy_brochure9-20-14. pdf (2014). Lim L, Gorz J, D.O., Colelli T, Craig E, Jary J, Ward S, Gordon T, D.O., Sergent SR, D.O., Massa M, Briceno RK, M.D., Wiseman K, Lang S, Wozniak C, D.O., Willyerd GL, D.O.. Raising awareness of OPP and OMT: More work to be done. Osteopathic Medicine: Globally Integrated Education and Implementation. (2014): 35. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Web. 2015 Jan. Wiseman K, Lim L, Sergent SR, D.O., Gorz J, D.O., Colelli T, Craig E, Jary J, Lang S, Ward S, Willyerd GL, D.O.. Adult Health Status in the Impoverished Peruvian Amazon. Osteopathic Medicine: Globally Integrated Education and Implementation. (2014): 19. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Web. 2015 Jan. 7