HHRI Medical Trip

A Trip Report from Houston Haiti Relief Initiative Team!

A volunteer stated,
"Miraculously, all of the 1000 lbs. of supplies arrived with us and our
truck and driver to Pignon were waiting for us. Most of us did not
know each other before this trip and handled the challenges
thrown our way without stressing out. Richard, our team leader, could not have
dreamed up a better team building exercise!"

Dr. Richard Caplan gave this report about their trip and future plans:

HHRI is a 501(c) 3 formed after the 2010 earthquake to help
coordinate local assets towardtoward Haitian relief. It has long term
goals to find a specific Haitian center to support and develop
for upgrading the medical care for the Haitian population.
It has focused initially on two areas, medical teams and biomedical
repair and training. The latter is spearheaded by a group of Rotarians.
The medical teams are organized by physicians and
non physicians with a large cumulative
experience in Haiti and in mission work.

The latest mission had a surgical emphasis and
brought a 15 member team to
Hopital de Bienfaisance in Pignon in the northern
Central Plateau, 4/30-5/7/2011.
The team included physicians, nurses, nurse
anesthetist, physical therapist,biomedical technician, radiation
technician and administrative support. About
40 cases were performed. General surgery,
orthopedics and ophthalmology
were the represented surgical disciplines.

Two of the members were associated with
Jewish Health International based in Atlanta, an organization
with which I traveled last to Haiti in November.
Two were from Ohio and I knew them from
work done in the field hospital
that served the Port au Prince population
for 6 months after the quake. The pharmacist has spent 15 months
in Haiti since the quake. The radiation
technologist was from Dallas. The rest were from
the Texas Medical Center and represented St Luke's,
MD Anderson and The Methodist Hospital.

Major accomplishments included:
Successful funding went to offset supply and
medication costs, lodging and part of the
volunteers travel expenses. Multiple organizations
helped with grants, supplies and medications
including Americares, Medical Bridges, Memorial
Hermann, the Methodist Hospital,and the Methodist
church, Caring Friends, the Freedman fund and the
Merfish Fund. Multiple individuals generously
half of all funds raised. We brought about 1000 lbs of
supplies and medications. All surplus not used supplies
as well as a lot of personal goods were left for use at the hospital.
The vast majority of this hospital's care is on a charity basis.
All patients were treated for free and came from Pignon
and a draw of a population of about 140,000
Approximately 40 cases were preformed.
Especially in the OR and clinics, we worked
with local physicians and health care workers in
a collaborative fashion.The team was all volunteers.
The patients are cared for by local staff after we leave,
followup though is inherently spotty.
The therapist modeled physical therapy concepts
and, with local talent, supervised fabrication on site of
equipment for inpatient rehabilitation.
Ophthalmology treated over 200 patients and is assessing
a screening program for glaucoma using multiple
teams from multiple institutions.
The Biomedical technician assessed repair
versus replacement recommendations for hospital
equipment, repaired of the hospital's
only EKG machine to a functional status, and
with our radiation technology repaired of the hospitals
x-ray machine targeting system.
CPR and ophthalmic drop administration
classes were taught. OR supplies were organized
Pharmacy instruction by the pharmD modeled
modern and more efficient medication administration
options and brought compounding techniques that helped
several patients An assessment of the birthing agent
training program served as a possible prelude to a Baylor
maternal fetal medicine physician's formal evaluation for
opportunities to reduce maternal and fetal mortality.
Efforts are being made by the staff anesthesiologist to facilitate
the care two pediatric burn victims, hospitalized in Pignon,
to go to Boston Shriner's Hospital for care
Multiple assessment by specialty are forthcoming.

There was also great 'downtime' in the Minnesota
dorm care with lively discussions
on varied topics by many on the team.
Dr. Guy Theodore was present at multiple dinners
and discussions and provided his lifelong experience
with Pignon as a child and as its health
and education promoter for the last 25 years.
Team members ate communally and enjoyed
daily reviews of the highlights and opportunities e
ach day of our week. The tropical sunsets,
occasional rainbows, and pleasant weather and star
gazing with Google sky were an
unexpected and value added. Likely, Pignon has
seldom seen such a diverse group
of talented health care practitioners.

Additional missions are planned in 2011. A Port au Prince
mission to Bernard Mev is planned in the late summer.

All team members are aware of those who have supported the
mission. Many have done so themselves and all worked
collaboratively to exceed by far my initial vision for this trip.
Local relationships have been started and are
ongoing. Formal presentations are available by request and the website and
Facebook pages of the HHRI will tell a visual story of the trip.

Thanks to the supporters and especially to the brave volunteers who
gave of the time with big hearts to help the poorest neighbors we have.

Richard Caplan, MD, FACS
Team leader.