More Than “Just a Hospital”

June 3, 2014 - Laura Schwecherl

On our recent trip to Nepal, three of us were packed in a New York City taxi, racing to make it to the airport on time for our flight. The stress of the last minute packing, flashflood warning, and the long journey ahead was intensified when Mark, Possible’s CEO, learned a funding partner was arriving earlier than expected to our hospital in rural Nepal. She would beat us there by half a day, so Mark was on the phone with our team in Nepal, making sure her first impression of our healthcare model would also be an accurate one.

“Make sure she understands we’re not just a hospital. We’re a healthcare system,” he said on the phone to our colleague in rural Nepal.

One of the key differentiators of Possible is we’re an organization building a durable healthcare system that integrates four tiers of healthcare: a hospital, clinics, community health workers, and a referral network. This hub and spoke model ensures our patients are receiving the kind of care they need, when they need it, as close as possible to their home. We believe healthcare should work fully for the poor, not partially. And in order to do that, a comprehensive and integrated system is needed.

Meet four of our all-star team members who work in each of these tiers and work together to provide remarkable care for each of our patients!

 

    Urmila_rd

Describe your job for me.

I provide all of our family planning counseling, ANC (newborn care) checkups, and OB/GYN care. I sometimes deliver babies, too.

Where are you from?

Sanfebagar, which is about an hour from Bayalpata Hospital.

How long have you been working with Possible?

Six years! I started when we first opened our clinic in Sanfebagar.

Who was the last patient you treated?

I just finished doing ANC checkups on two expecting mothers. We just found out one is having twins.

Wow. Was she excited?

She was kind of worried. But she knows she is in good hands.

Why did you want to become a nurse?

When I was ten-years-old, my mother got sick and passed away because she didn’t have access to a good doctor. That’s why I’m now a midwife: I want to ensure the health of other mothers, for both them and their families.

What do you believe is possible?

When this hospital started, we did not think it was possible to be this successful. Now… we will become one of the best hospitals in Nepal. We will become one of the best hospitals in the world.

 

  Amrit_rd

Tell me what you do!

I facilitate all of our public health interventions that result in measurable improvements in institutional delivery—which includes increasing our number of antenatal care visits. I also focus on strengthening our health clinics and building the capacity of our community health work leaders, who act as a liaison between our community health workers, clinics, and hospital.

Where are you from?

Pokhara, which is about 200km west of Nepal’s capital.

How long have you been working with Possible?

It’s been four months now.

Who was the last patient you worked with?

A 70-year-old woman who was a diabetic patient. I counseled her about ways to manage her sugar level, enrolled her in our chronic illness follow-up database, and set up her next appointment.

Why did you want to work in community health?

I was born in a family with a health background; my father is a veteran pharmacist who runs the oldest clinic (26 years) in town. Since I was young I’ve seen women and children dying in clinics from common and preventable diseases. This motivated me to learn how to prevent and manage disease so I could make others aware that with simple, preventable actions they can live a long and healthy life.

What do you believe is possible?

I believe that a need based healthcare model, even in a place like rural Nepal, is indeed possible.

 

Sami_rd

Tell me what you do!

My overall responsibility is to lead the Community Health Department, which includes the community health worker program, health post strengthening program and advanced care, chronic care, maternal and child health, and surgical access programs.

Where are you from?

I’m from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

How long have you been working with Possible?

10 months.

Who was the last patient you treated?

I counseled a 14-year-old boy who was suffering from depression. He was sent to the Community Health Department for ongoing counseling and follow-up. He was also suffering from jaundice, so I counseled him about the proper diet he should be eating to help with his condition. We also scheduled an appointment for him at Bayalpata Hospital.

Why did you want to become a community health director?

I have always wanted to work in the rural part of Nepal to promote the health status of women and children. My father worked in the far-western region of Nepal as a civil engineer. After hearing his experience working here (where Bayalpata Hospital and our clinics are located), I became interested in serving the disadvantaged community in this region—following his trail.

What do you believe is possible?

The word “possible” means to reach people who are not easily accessible and provide them their basic right: comprehensive healthcare. I believe possible is doing the justice of providing healthcare to everyone around the world, something that was once thought impossible.

 

Sumesh_rd

Describe what you do for me.

I coordinate care for the patients we refer to other institutions for advanced services that aren’t available at our hospital.

Where are you from?

Jhapa (Eastern Nepal). I think I’m the only team member from the east!

How long have you been working with Possible?

Since January 1st of this year.

Who was the last patient you referred?

A man came in with his testicle in his hand from a boar attack. He was completely in shock, bleeding, and unable to feel any pain. It’s a clinical decision to refer, and we did. While the primary care doctors were prepping and stabilizing him for the transfer to our partner hospital in Nepalgunj (12 hours away), I was gathering the necessary documents, contacting the hospital, and getting the ambulance ready to go.

Did he end up being okay?

Yes! They were able to do plastic surgery, and he’s going to fully recover.

Why did you want to become an advanced care coordinator?

Our philosophy of how we treat our patients is quite unusual compared to where I grew up, and is what drew me to Possible. Our model is patient-centered, not doctor-centered. And once we refer, we don’t cut off our ties with them. We extend our care and connection to our patients to make sure they received the right treatment.

What do you believe is possible?

Being a patient centered healthcare system. When giving patients care, we are treating them as we would our loved ones.

 

 

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