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| Vol. 23, No. 4 |
| March 1, 2001 |
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Hermann Facilitates Foreign Patient Care By JONATHAN LOWE Memorial Hermann Healthcare System Imagine you have a disease that is best treated outside the United States. Carrying just a suitcase or two, you fly at great expense and arrive in a country whose language you don't speak or understand. You're surrounded by foreign customs and values, which make the situation a tense and anxious one. This situation is managed daily by the International Affairs Department at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Manager Kareem Botani says all patients need sensitive consideration, but for foreign patients seeking treatment at Memorial Hermann, assistance with understanding their diagnoses and access to special services are essential. "While our international patients aren't more or less special than our other patients, they do have special needs that require special consideration," he says. When providing interpreters, specific hotel reservations and medical education for patients and families and treatment reports for their governments, Botani - along with Gloria Betancourt, international patient relations coordinator; Margarita Hernandez, international financial counselor; Mona Ghazal, patient care coordinator and Rhonda Elmilady, international office assistant - must balance patient care with cultural sensitivity.
"We try to establish a sense of ease and security from the moment patients and their families arrive at the airport to the day they return to their home country," Botani says. Patients from the Middle East form the largest international group seen at Memorial Hermann Hospital, and ensuring that sense of security for them includes coordinating concierge services with hotels in the Texas Medical Center area. "Many Arabic governments allow their patients to bring at least one or two escorts with them while staying here at Memorial Hermann," Botani says. "This often requires that we reserve several rooms. We've also worked directly with hotels in the Texas Medical Center to provide Arabic-speaking staff, to include certain menu items and to set aside prayer rooms for Muslim patients." In response, Memorial Hermann Hospital recently dedicated its own Muslim Prayer Room. Medical Director Dr. Steve Allen says such provisions are an integral part of the mission of Memorial Hermann Hospital. "Inherent in our corporate culture is a strong commitment to diversity. While international patients might be drawn to us for our heart services, transplants, the eye center or our doctors, our strength also lies in our ability to sensitively address the emotional, spiritual and cultural needs of a global clientele," he says. Botani says he knows this sensitivity pays off. He estimates that about half of his department's referrals come from former patients. "From a geopolitical view, technology and increased trade have improved the wealth in places like Mexico, Latin America and the Middle East. Privatization in these areas presents the growing middle class with new choices. When it comes to their health, they want the best and are willing to pay for it," Botani says. "International patients also are becoming more selective and are using the Internet to shop around," he says. "I have seen our referrals from the Internet slowly but constantly increase, but it's a mistake to think patients will come to us simply because we are here. Providing an outstanding experience - from answering patients' initial inquires to following up once they're home - is what creates a strong reputation." "Memorial Hermann International Affairs is particularly effective coordinating patients' follow-up care with referring physicians abroad," adds Dr. Victor Ankoma-Sey, medical director of Memorial Hermann Hospital's Texas Liver Center and a University of Texas Medical School at Houston assistant professor. "They perform a great service with patient education about medications and are able to locate patients we'd be challenged to find." One of the greatest challenges for Botani and his staff is scheduling appointments for patients who are on a compressed schedule. "Most international patients have a limited window of time they are in the country and we often receive pressure from foreign embassies to accommodate these patients as quickly as possible," Botani says. "The particular challenge of International Affairs is to be extremely perceptive and experienced in dealing with cultural nuances. It's personally rewarding to me, because when I develop that positive relationship with a patient, I learn so much about their culture I didn't know before. Each patient has a fascinating story to tell and we're glad to help facilitate access to our services." For more information about International Affairs at Memorial Hermann Hospital, contact Kareem Botani at (713) 704-5515, or at intl_affairs@mhhs.org.
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