Soon I will be home

After treating a young man with diabetic acidosis, I would say that Evangel

hospital's main problem is getting lab tests done accurately and promptly, having a chart that one can follow and having less patients for each nurse. We tried to get him in their ICU but it was full. I find if I talk to each nurse about my orders they get done more accurately. The chart is the old metal folding ones that we stopped using about 1972, because the sheets are loose and get lost and out of order. The doctors work hard to improve their standard of care but they can't or don't have time to correct these problems. The medical director told me he thought their lab has improved alot , so I didn't want to insult him with my assessment of the problems. It is so much more difficult to run an efficient hospital when , you don't have good phones, computers, records and ways to reach patients. I needed to make copies of medical information handouts for a presentation I gave. Both copiers were not working and they never know when the repairman will actually come, so I got a driver to drive back to Faith Alive , about a ten minuted drive to get these copied.
I will have given 6 of these lectures and the nurse's seem to appreciate them more than the doctors. Some are at 4pm in a hot stuffy room, so I'm not surprised to see eyes half open. I must always make the information pertinent to their situation---which means they don't use alot of our meds and tests and so telling them how we treat hypertension, diabetes and heart failure isn't as helpful as how they might use their resources as efficiently as possible.
As when I worked in Madagascar, I feel frustrated in not being able to do more. Working here again reaffirms that they need financial help and partners in their struggle , more than medical knowledge. But for us westerners to want to help, we almost have to be here to see their struggle. Hopefully, more of us will come , see and help.
It is getting dark so I must go
Will