Hello! And welcome to our visitors and donors to our INTENT blog. I am very excited to share news of our new found service relationships in the Dominican Republic. I have always wanted to be part of an organization that would ensure tangible use of donor funds directly to users – in this case, patients and doctors. Thanks to our donors, this is happening in a very real, grass roots way … Read on!
I’d like to share a couple of stories that underscored for me the mission of this organization.
In Santo Domingo, following my presentation on a surgical procedure, Dominican ENT residents in training cornered me at a table and began firing away with questions, not only about my talk but with management questions on patients they were currently managing. These were thoughtful and insightful questions and comments. Following this, I had a chance to look over their surgical instruments which were in need of upgrading and discuss diagnostic tools which were lacking . One thing became crystal clear: These were highly intelligent and passionate doctors, needing only appropriate tools for their trade. Since this encounter, I have had a continuing dialogue with one of the ENT Chief Residents to lay the groundwork for a return teaching trip in May 2024.
In San Juan de La Maguana, over two days, I taught sinus surgeries to the local ENT that was interested in offering this surgery to her patients. She had been concerned about her lack of training in this area and wanted to be safe with this procedure. At the end, she literally danced a little shuffle over the excitement of acquiring a new skill and overcoming her anxieties about surgeries. For Intent health care, we leveraged the donated time and money exponentially: we were able to “teach a doctor to fish.”
All of this is setting the stage for initiating programs to teach the diagnosis and surgical management of ENT disorders in areas needing support. Once the foundation is laid, other ENT physicians from around the world with specific areas of interest will be able to further the cause of educating physicians and helping patients in need .
Annual Report 2022
On our inaugural trip, we had a team of seven. One preop nurse, one surgical circulating nurse, one surgical tech, two post op nurses, one anesthesiologist , and one ENT surgeon. At the invitation of Solid Rock International and their associated clinicians, we traveled to San Juan de la Maguna in the Dominican Republic. The city is 3 hours by bus from the capital of Santo Domingo. While there, over a 3 ½ day time span, we performed 41 tonsil and adenoid removal surgeries.
Annual Report 2023
Following the first trip, foundations for expanding the scope of the mission to training a new generation of ENT surgeons in the Dominican Republic were laid. Intenthealthcare.org was established. We were fortunate to make contact with Dr. Ed Dodson from The Ohio State University dept. of Otolaryngology. He has had an established relationship with the residency program in Santo Domingo and had extended an invitation to connect with the Staff of the residency program in Santo Domingo.
November 2023
Santo Domingo
Worked with OSU and Dominican Residence in teaching cases, presented a talk on procedures for correcting certain swallowing disorders, and laid the groundwork for initiating a program for training on certain specialized ENT surgeries. Planning a teaching trip to the residency program in April, 2024
San Juan de la Maguana
Returned to the site of our original trip to train the local ENT surgeon endoscopic sinus surgeries. With this visit and upcoming visits, she will be able to offer a range of sinus surgeries that heretofore were not offered in her city, and required patients to make a long trip to the capital.
December 2023
San Juan de la Maguana
Returned to San Juan de la Maguana to perform Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures. We were the first American team to perform surgeries at their new hospital. Along with this, augmented the prior sinus surgery training of the local ENT received in November by performing an additional sinus procedure with her. We will also donated surgery instruments for safer quicker procedures for her patients!
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