ipl-logo

Experiences And Talks With Members Of Partners In Health By Tracy Kidder

676 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Strategies for breaking the link between poverty and health

Tracy Kidder presents many important themes in this book through his experiences and talks with members of Partners in Health including Dr. Paul Farmer. One of my takeaways was the emphasis on compassion and spending time with patients. In my experiences with the healthcare system in the United States, everything seems very rushed, almost like it is an inconvenience for the doctor to see the patient. However, Paul Farmer went great distances to care for his patients. He took hour-long hikes in Haiti to see patients, there were many nights when he didn’t sleep in order to see patients instead, and he traveled back to Haiti against recommendations because of his injured leg. Although he wanted to find another way to treat John, a child with cancer, he ultimately supported his expensive treatment in the U.S.. At the beginning of the book, he spent a long time talking to his patient Joe, trying to find a housing solution for him. This connects to a second theme …show more content…

Since cost-effectiveness seems to be the most argued consideration for global health interventions, what are other ways that cost-effectiveness could be accomplished while still treating more “expensive” diseases in low-income countries? Or, what considerations should be brought forth that are potentially more important than the cost-effectiveness argument?
What are ideas for ways to help prevent burnout in physicians, especially after witnessing so much trauma in low-income countries? In the book, there were many healthcare professionals that wanted to leave Haiti and go to the U.S.. This could be for many reasons, but how could doctors be retained better in low-income countries?
How can the misconception of non-compliance be fazed out as a patient label? In the book, there were misconceptions about voodoo and cultural beliefs meaning that people wouldn’t believe in medicine or follow

Show More
Related
829 Words | 4 Pages

He explains that “we don’t apply it because we don’t know how” (Page). Readers question whether doctors like Page should actively pursue social factors that influence health care delivery and

Read More
2244 Words | 9 Pages

Dr. Paul Farmer has been referred to as a saint for most of his professional career as a physician, not just at Harvard University, where he attended medical school and taught, at Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he worked as a physician, but also in Russia, Lima, Peru and even Haiti where he worked to eradicate tuberculosis. Dr. Farmer wanted to help those people who couldn’t help themselves. He wished to “give a voice, to the voiceless.” This wish was a major part of the book Mountains Beyond Mountains, written by Tracy Kidder. Dr. Farmer had a unique style of administering care to the people of Haiti.

Read More
2124 Words | 9 Pages

His medical practices are not done by any other doctor in the world because Paul Farmer is not like any doctor in the world. Tracy Kidder’s journey with Paul Farmer paves the way to how he changes throughout his life as well as how he changes the medical field for the

Read More
1118 Words | 5 Pages

Eric Dishman’s Ted talk, “Healthcare Should be a Team Sport”, shares how today’s health care needs to conform and revolutionized to fit in today’s technological, and widespread society. A patient told him to take control of his health, and not let the doctors take control of him. Dishman goes into detail how the healthcare system is a “flawed expensive system that is set up in the wrong way” (2:07). The American health system is dependent on clinics and the occupants residing within, how specialists are necessary in the healthcare system to look at specific parts of us, and having passive patients that would follow the orders of a doctor, that might satisfy the appropriate issue at hand, and satisfying the individual patients’ needs.

Read More
456 Words | 2 Pages

Lee, regarding about challenges in changes processes, as nurse leaders, we need to think outside our own silos, research how others are doing it and maybe change it and apply it to our needs. This is very similar to my topic of reverse innovation, which is getting ideas from the poor and applying it to the more developed economies (DePasse & Lee, 2013). Your question asked, how can you help your patients seek healthcare options that will meet their needs and stay cost effective? In my area of transplant, we have a separate department that handles insurance, Transplant Patient Access Services (TPAS) representatives.

Read More
547 Words | 3 Pages

This is a critical issue since people in underdeveloped communities lack access to sufficient medical care can prevent individuals from obtaining necessary healthcare, which can have serious consequences for their health and well-being. which raises morbidity and mortality rates. For instance, the lack of infrastructure and the absence of healthcare providers can make it difficult for rural populations to get healthcare services. In many places, getting the right medical care may require long journeys that can be both expensive and time-consuming. Another major issue facing the current healthcare system is healthcare affordability.

Read More
418 Words | 2 Pages

Consequently, I have adopted a conscientious approach focused on clarifying the available choices to patients, refraining from imposing personal biases, and instead empowering patients to make informed decisions aligned with their circumstances. I firmly believe that this patient-centered ethos not only enhances clinical outcomes, but also fosters a culture of empathy and respect within our healthcare ecosystem. Moving forward, I am committed to further integrating these principles into my professional practice, ensuring that the patient remains the central focus of all our attempts. My commitment extends beyond personal advancement; I am impassioned by the prospect of leveraging my skills to benefit not only my immediate community but also to contribute on a broader scale, enriching healthcare practices worldwide. I am particularly motivated to explore innovative approaches that ensure equitable access to diagnostic services, especially for underserved populations who may struggle to afford

Read More
700 Words | 3 Pages

Paul Farmer a doctor, who also is a Harvard professor; one of the best infectious disease specialist on top of that he is a medical anthropologist and a prolific writer. Dr.Farmer was a very busy man when it came to him being a father a husband on top of that being a doctor that travels very often, no matter what he always had a good sense of humor he was an all around good guy with a big ego. Like most leaders he is charismatic and needs little sleep, and he sees his way as the high way. Farmer’s biggest goal would be to cure the world if he could; he’s made an impressive start. He and his colleagues at Partners in Health, one of the organizations that started in 1987, has established the primary health care programs in Haiti, Peru, Mexico, Boston, Siberia, and Guatemala.

Read More
1622 Words | 7 Pages

My dedication to this statement has been reinforced both through my academic courses and my practical experiences in healthcare. In my final year of my undergraduate education, I took an anthropology course titled “Living Medicine”. This course exposed me to diverse healthcare systems globally, highlighting the pivotal role of cultural attitudes and practices on patient outcomes. In this study, we viewed a TedTalk given by Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon and a writer. Gawande describes how the healthcare system in the United States was shaped based on a culture that values independence, self-sufficiency, and

Read More
452 Words | 2 Pages

Growing up, I have had my fair share of medical encounters, and was even on state insurance for most of my life. This meant that exceptional care was not always in reach, as I had to visit overflowing medical facilities and was unable to choose the better treatment options due to finances. Due to this, I advocate for my patient’s daily at work by calling insurances and working out the logistics of getting them the care they need, or helping them find resources if we hit a dead-end. Putting their care first, each and every day, has helped me advocate for patients of all populations.

Read More
625 Words | 3 Pages

Among these potential benefits include: additional diagnostic tests, distribution of medications and vaccinations, and emergency evacuation services (Fair Benefits 2). Essentially, the Fair Benefits model emphasizes sharing the benefits of successful medical research and along with the Collaborative model, it is a solution to the four major questions regarding medical research in developing countries. These four questions include: “1) How can we prevent vulnerable patients form being exploited by research?, 2) How can such patients gives informed consent?, 3) Is it right to apply standards of research of developed countries to research in developing countries or can there be a double standard?, and 4) Are there special problems of context in doing research on poor, illiterate people in developing countries? (Pence 204).” In addition to answering these questions, there are three guidelines that need to be followed when conducting research in

Read More
693 Words | 3 Pages

The primary principle of liberation theology, according to Dr. Farmer, is the "observe, judge, act" paradigm, which emphasises the value of critical reflection on social institutions and the experiences of marginalised people, followed by active action in resolving social injustices. This concept, when applied to medical care, suggests that healthcare professionals should be aware of their patients' social and economic circumstances in addition to their clinical problems. Because it is closely linked to larger social, economic, and political institutions that determine who has access to healthcare and who does not, Dr. Farmer views medical care as a social justice issue. If healthcare professionals are willing to use the observe, judge, act

Read More
700 Words | 3 Pages

My experiences have taught me that the greatest service a physician provides is their care and comfort towards patients. I want my career defined by altruistic motivations, a mindset solidified in Honduras, where I traveled as vice president of the university’s Global Medical Brigade. I was part of a two summer medical mission designed to give healthcare knowledge and resources to impoverished regions of the world. I was in charge of operating the trips smoothly and more efficiently, producing the most positive results possible.

Read More
814 Words | 4 Pages

Growing up in a family that immigrated from Egypt, my parents always emphasized the importance of health and striving for a better life. My family did not have health insurance and we only scheduled doctor’s appointments when it was necessary. Consequentially, we did not have the luxury of being able to visit the doctor multiple times a year for checkups, due to lack of health insurance. My parents often went overseas for their checkups and treatments, as they could not afford treatment in the United States. Unfortunately, this situation is not limited only to my family.

Read More
1368 Words | 6 Pages

Multiple developing nations lack a stable health care system. McGregor also underlines that “many of the clinical trial examples are of multinational corporations conducting the experiments.” (447). Due to the lack of funding for many clinics and hospitals, ill patients are forced to result to clinical trials because it becomes one of the cheapest and most reliable methods of obtaining treatment. This emphasizes further vulnerability citizens may easily encounter.

Read More

More about Experiences And Talks With Members Of Partners In Health By Tracy Kidder

Related Topics

Open Document