On January 30th I will travel to Honduras for five months to act as a medical administration consultant to assist in implementing the newly constructed hospital into the SAN’s overall organization and to help orchestrate the opening of the hospital. The hospital has been built, but is yet to be staffed and stocked with the needed supplies. Initially, I will work to develop a sound and sustainable plan of action for the project that will be presented in the form of a business plan. This will later reduce ambiguity and concern when outside institutions are approached to generate capital to acquire the needed materials to begin to treat patients. Through this project, I intend to help SAN fashion a model healthcare system from the current dilapidated clinic. Surrounding the hospital are abandoned healthcare facilities that have been closed due to equipment shortages and trained staff. By renovating these clinics, one-by-one, Sociedad can transform the problem of isolation in the rural countryside into an opportunity for their newly built hospital to become the area’s referral center. These satellite clinics can then act as contact places for Honduran healthcare workers to provide basic medical tasks and to distribute medicine.
The greatest challenges I will face will not come from the development of a plan of action, nor from the logistics of implementation, but instead from cultural differences between my North American perspective and the realities of life in Central America. While it is easy for a person from the United States to demand action, there are financial and social issues that prohibit some simple tasks to be preformed. Maintenance of equipment is a prime example where North Americans purchase warranties, service machinery, and save to routinely buy new equipment. In many developing countries, especially Honduras, funds are not available for the luxury of maintenance. My success in transcending cultural differences will undoubtedly play an important role in the fulfillment of my own objectives.
