Methodist Gives "Little Bit of Home" to International Patients

One international patient at The Methodist Hospital (TMH) recently needed help locating spare parts for his airplane. Another asked for help in locating a vaccine for his cattle. More often, though, an authentic ethnic meal is what's sought after.

International patient liaisons at TMH are accustomed to getting unusual requests from their patients who are far away from home and have special needs. International patients have to cope with being in a different culture, with a different language, on top of the stress that comes with being sick. On any given day, these liaisons serve as medical interpreters, social workers, spiritual guides and travel agents.

"Patients from other countries are displaced from their support system and have to deal with culture shock and feelings of vulnerability which heightens their sense of overall anxiety," says Ruthy Feltrin, director of operations in International Services at TMH. "So we try to meet their needs whether they are tangible or emotional."

Approximately 5,000 patients from 80 different countries seek medical care at The Methodist Hospital every year. The staff handles the needs of patients including scheduling of medical appointments, hotel and travel arrangements, financial arrangements, and special cultural amenities.

Typically, international patients have long hospital stays. To help them feel in touch with their own country, International Services provides newspapers and magazines in several languages and current news from the Internet. Patients are also provided the use of computers to e-mail their family members at home. During special holidays, patient liaisons have even cooked ethnic foods for patients who have a taste for homecooking. "We try to give them a little bit of what they are missing from home, even if it is a little out of the ordinary," Feltrin says.

Many of the needs end up being more emotional than practical after the patients learn to trust the liaisons. "Sometimes, these patients are best served by just holding their hands," says Valter Aleixo, International Services manager.

- From The Methodist Hospital

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Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/health_briefs/03_01_00-methodist.html