Indian Health Service Update: Physicians Making a Difference
Preventable diseases cause high levels of mortality and morbidity in
many remote or rural communities, such as among American Indians living
in the United States. Through the Brigham and Women's Outreach Program
with the Indian Health Service (IHS), BWH physician volunteers are able
to make a positive impact on the health of this population.
“The American Indian population is a vastly underserved and
impoverished community with widely documented disparities in health
outcomes, including a life span five years shorter than the general U.S.
population” said Thomas Sequist, MD, MPH, the program’s clinical
director. “It is rewarding to volunteer to share our resources and
expertise with our IHS colleagues because it makes a big difference in
the lives of members of the reservation.”
The IHS, a federal health care agency that provides care for the
majority of American Indians, is underfunded and needs specialist care
in more remote areas of the country. Through the Brigham and Women’s
Outreach Program, physicians and staff work with their colleagues across
two IHS hospitals in rural New Mexico: the Northern Navajo Medical
Center (Shiprock) and the Gallup Indian Medical Center.
More than 100,000 Navajo patients are served in these two settings,
where up to one-third of patients do not have access to indoor plumbing
or electricity and nearly half live below the federal poverty level. The
nearest referral hospitals are located hours away, often proving
inaccessible to patients.
BWH volunteers who travel to New Mexico provide direct patient care
and train IHS physicians to expand their capacity to provide more
complex care. BWH also hosts IHS physicians in Boston to experience
cutting-edge medicine and training within our own hospital.
To date, more than 50 physicians have volunteered from every BWH
clinical department, and contributed hundreds of hours of teaching and
patient care time. Services not previously available to IHS physicians
and their patients are now available, including:
• a new dermatology clinic
• advanced training in the care of infants
• management of common orthopedic trauma
• chronic disease management for complex conditions, such as advanced congestive heart failure
“We thank those who have already volunteered their time and have
influenced the care of more than 1,200 patients on the Navajo
reservation,” said Sequist. “We are constantly seeking more volunteers
and encourage anyone interested to contact us for more information.”
Read More:
Physician Volunteer Profiles: Improving Access to Cardiovascular Care