In the News
Clinical Directors coordinate services to provide continuum of care
Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) Haiti created three clinical director positions to coordinate services across its health system, with a particular emphasis on community health. This “disease-management” focus capitalizes on HAS' unique network of community-based health workers and volunteers, and maximizes the limited resources shared by the health centers and hospital.
The new positions include directors of HIV/AIDS and TB; Maternal and Child Health; and Primary Care Services. By coordinating efforts, these directors will be able to guide strategies to enhance the early identification and treatment of the most common and burdensome health conditions in HAS's district.
The success of this plan revealed itself in April when the Emergency Nutrition Plan went into effect. The clinical directors of Primary Care Services and Maternal and Child Health coordinated the identification of malnourished children at the satellite health centers, vaccination clinics, and through home visits and community meetings. They ensured that all severe cases were referred to the hospital's Nutrition Rehabilitation Ward. Health workers and social workers are conducting monthly follow-up visits with all children discharged from the hospital thus integrating the services between the hospital and community health department.
In order to move strategically to this disease-management model, HAS received funding from several organizations and individuals to support the related salary expenses. HAS expresses its appreciation to Henry K. Miller, MD; Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fond; Ed and Mary Ann Reynolds, MDs; Jonathan E. Rhoads Trust; and The Seraph Foundation.
The new clinical directors and their positions are:
Darwin Dorestan, MD , joined the HAS staff as Coordinator TB, HIV/AIDS this spring. He is interested in infectious diseases from a medical standpoint and a sociological aspect. He is a graduate of the Université Notre Dame d'Haïti in Port-au-Prince. (See the June issue of Nouvèl for a Conversation with…Dr. Dorestan.)
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Fritz Gaetan Heyliger, MD , recently joined the HAS staff
as the Coordinator of Primary Care Services. His work involves ensuring that the six health centers operate smoothly and provide high-quality, consistent primary
care services. Healso oversees the logistics and clinical protocols of mobile clinics, rally posts, and the community health workers' activities. Dr. Heyliger is a graduate of the Faculté de Medecine, Université de l'Etat d'Haiti and is currently pursuing his master's degree in public health through a joint program with Cornell University and Quisqueya University in Port-au-Prince.
Erlantz Hyppolite, MD, joined the HAS staff as Coordinator Maternal and Child Health in May. His responsibilities include oversight of nutrition and vaccination programs, pre- and post-natal care services; and supervising the training of volunteer midwives. Dr. Hyppolite is working closely with the Primary CareServices Coordinator to upgrade the health centers to include maternity and delivery services. He is a graduate of Faculté de Medecine, Université de l'Etat d'Haiti and is currently pursuing his maters in public health through a joint program with Cornell University and Quisqueya University in Port-au-Prince.
If you would like to support HAS and the continuation of this management model, visit the website at http://www.hashaiti.org/C1a_w1.html or contact the US Office at 412-361-5200.