Happy Holidays!
We want to wish you a very joyous Christmas season and provide you with an update on the recent conference a group of Medical Ambassadors attended in November.
Craig: From November 10-12, nineteen Ambassadors gathered together at the Global Missions Health Conference (GMHC) in Louisville, Kentucky. GMHC is the national conference of MedicalMissions.com, which is a large gathering of medical professionals, students, and organizations dedicated to healthcare missions. This annual three-day conference features plenary speakers, exhibitors, special events, breakout sessions (where continuing education credits are available), and unique opportunities to worship with a broad representation of the body of Christ. It was a great time of getting to know those who we have only talked with or written to. As with most conferences, it is the few ideas gathered that are most useful. I was able to hear practical ways to help Congolese tell their story, how to motivate health change, and connect with groups that are actively engaged in initiatives that PCP hopes to replicate in Congo.
Eric: Several important events happened at the Global Health Missions Conference. That event marked the largest gathering of PCP Medical Ambassadors since our inception. Over the course of the conference the Ambassadors met several times for private meetings. It was great to put faces to voices, as this was the first time I’d seen many of these folks as well. Our time together gave the Medical Steering Team a chance to update the other Ambassadors about a significant shift in our operational model. Whereas we have previously offered the Congolese providers with training modules that were chosen by us, we now intend to introduce a pilot “Quality Improvement (Triple Aim)” model (developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement) to a portion of the CEUM’s healthcare system. Future training modules will be dictated by our Congolese counterparts, but the responsibility for subsequent integration of this training will occur under the guidance of the Congolese healthcare leaders. (We will share more about this initiative in future Medical Ambassador Updates.) Combining a full GMCH conference schedule with a full PCP schedule made for a busy weekend, but we’re thrilled with the results. Please do consider attending this conference on Nov. 9-11, 2017, in Louisville, and let us know of your interest.
Craig: Even though we have not been able to visit Congo recently, our partners are continuing their work. Please be praying for peace in Congo over the coming days amidst political tensions and that we will be able to return again in 2017.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Craig Anderson, Director of Medical and Health Programs and
Eric Gunnoe, President of PCP Medical Ambassadors