We will be setting up medical clinics in underserved communities with very limited access to medical or dental care. We will be working alongside the Lighthouse Presbyterian Church in Tanauan City in Leyte, Philippines which has been working in these communities for the past decade, helping to meet the needs of the people of the community. This involves setting up daily clinics in low income neighborhoods in the Greater Manila area. At these clinics we will provide basic medical care, which includes some point of care testing, physical therapy, ultrasound, reading glasses to those who need them and toothbrushes/toothpaste to all children.
This year I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring along a family practice resident that I have been mentoring.
During our previous times working in these communities we noted that chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are rampant and often result in early morbidity and mortality when left untreated. The education and acute intervention that we provide make an impact on the health of the patients that we see.
Connecting these people to resources that are provided by the community volunteers that we partner with help ensure that they are continued to be cared for even after we leave.
The care we will provide can increase the access to healthcare by providing initial medical evaluation for patients that otherwise could not get connected with adequate health services. It then will provide linkage to other community resources to continue addressing social determinants of health needs in the community on a more longitudinal scale.
Providing high quality care in a system with limited access helps me to also adopt more efficient workflows and low cost solutions for underserved populations when I am back home.
Mission trips involve working closely with nurses, pharmacists and local health workers. This helps me bring back ideas for enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration in my clinic. I have also noticed that when I return from these trips I have a refreshed sense of purpose and gratitude which positively affects my patient care.
Many of the people of the Philippines live in devastatingly poor conditions and have little to no access to medical care. As a result, many have health conditions that could be easily cared for if they had access to medications, proper diet and regular appointments with health care providers. There is also poor education about the impact that these health issues can have on long-term health. As a result, many of the patients have already been impacted by heart disease and stroke at relatively young ages. The story is the same all over the world among people with financial need. One story that illustrates this was when I was speaking with a teenage girl about her diet. "Do you eat healthy food?" I asked. She giggled and told me honestly, "I mainly eat street foods, like snacks and candy. My mother does not have the money to cook regular meals." I was impressed by her candor. Those who do have the means to cook at home eat a diet based on rice. As a result, diabetes affects a large percentage of the population. I was shocked by glucose readings that were commonly well over 400 in otherwise healthy appearing individuals. Advising them to cut back on rice, bread and sugar and their diet only drew laughs..."well, what am I supposed to eat?" Similarly, blood pressure readings would commonly reach levels that would cause me to call EMS back home. Many patients already knew that their blood pressure was elevated and were taking woefully inadequate doses of antihypertensives on an intermittent basis, depending on whether or not they could afford the medication that month. Often, I felt powerless to help with my limited supply of medications and advice.
