All in a Day

As snow fell on the east coast of the U.S., the sun shone brightly on Port-au-Prince.  A day full of didactic sessions for physicians and radiographer, hands-on ultrasound and a competitive battle of "name that diagnosis" ensued as part of the clinical case review.  In addition, the ACR and University Hospital signed a MOU to assist in the training of the 10 radiology residents currently enrolled there. 

The day started with several outstanding presentations given by Bob Harris, M.D., (Co-Program Chair), Sung Kim, M.D. and Ron Adler, M.D. on musculoskeletal imaging.  Dr. Adler provided the basics and physics of MSK ultrasound along with lectures of the upper and lower extremities and a well-received talk on MSK ultrasound procedures.  Dr. Kim provided a talk on axial skeletal trauma, appendicular skeletal trauma and CT of the axial/appendicular skeletal trauma.  Dr. Harris provided a presentation entitled "Ultrasound of Superficial Lumps and Bumps".  The session concluded with Dr. Gina Joachim, a Haitian radiologist who presented on musculoskeletal ultrasound in Haiti. 

The afternoon ultrasound sessions included our two diagnostic medical sonographers, Tammy Stearns and Veronica Hernandez as well as Drs. Ron Adler, Rusty Brown, Bob Harris and Dorothy Bulas.  The Clinical Case Review led by Dr. Jim Borgstede and ably translated by Dr. Ernst Garcon became a battle royale of name that ailment on the ultrasound pitting on side of the room against the other.  The competitive juices were flowing as each side shouted out the condition or diagnosis on the screen.  The engaging session left many in the room laughing with no clear winner determined (although that is under review). 

While the morning sessions were going on, a leadership team comprised of Dr. Ellenbogen, Applegate, Brown and Borgstede travelled to the University General Hospital to meet with the Chief Medical Officer and the Executive Director.  Discussions ensued about plans for the new hospital and the training of the ten radiology residents.  Significant progress had been made to buildings damaged by the earthquake on the hospital's campus.  The new hospital is scheduled to open in December 2016 with the radiology department gaining new radiological equipment.  We took a tour of the radiology department and met with personnel on the ground.  We also toured the pediatric and emergency facilities as well as the nursing school that devastated during the earthquake. 

In the evening we toasted the end of a productive two-day conference with pizza and Prestige (a Haitian beer).  We met with colleagues from Chicago who were there to put on a program in pediatrics as well as representatives from Grace Children's Hospital, ICC, the University General Hospital and Hospital Bernard Mevs.  Enjoy the pictures below that highlighted a very busy day!
  





Approximately 100 physicians participated in the second of two Radiology Education Days in Haiti.  Here the audience is captivated by a presentation by Ron Adler, M.D. on Ultrasound of the Upper Extremity. 

Ron Adler, M.D. provides lectures, translated and interpreted in French by Ernst Garcon, M.D., to the audience on musculoskeletal ultrasound. 

Robert Harris, M.D. and Sung Kim, M.D. have an opportunity to discuss the morning's sessions prior to beginning afternoon didactic lectures and hands-on ultrasound.

The ACR leadership delegation toured the grounds at the University General Hospital including the pediatric unit where this small baby rested quietly. 

Patients wait outside the radiology department at the University General Hospital in Port-au-Prince

Child at the University General Hospital in Haiti. 

ACR Speaker Kimberly Applegate watches the University General Hospital's Executive Director, Dr. Maurice Fils Mainville, sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the organizations to work together to supplement the radiology resident's training.  The radiology resident program has increased from 0 to 10 in the past two years. 

Veronica Hernandez performs MSK ultrasound on a patient as physicians participating in the program watch.  Each physician had the opportunity to try their hand at the transducer to enhance their ultrasound imaging skills. 

 

Tammy Stearns helps guide a physician on a pediatric abdominal ultrasound procedure.  The ultrasound devices were generously loaned by Sonosite and GE.

 

Local radiologists and physicians take turns providing ultrasound to an infant during Radiology Education Days in Haiti. 

 Terry Konn, Ph.D. provides interactive session to a room full of radiographers at Radiology Education Days in Haiti

   

 Amy Hoffman lectures to radiographers at Radiology Education Days. 

 

 Jim Borgstede, M.D. and Ernst Garcon, M.D. engaged the room in a competition of "name that ailment on the ultrasound".  The highly enjoyed event was very engaging, illuminating and showed the physician community in Haiti to be both knowledgeable and quite competitive indeed. 

 

The faculty was fully engaged.  Here, Dr. Adler works with a physician as they ultrasound the foot and ankle of Dr. Kim, standing in as a patient during the musculoskeletal ultrasound session. 

 

Dr. Adler and local physicians collaborate over a finding during the ultrasound session. 

 

Patients enjoying some free coloring books and crayons as a reward for their patience and great behavior. 

 

After a long, but successful day, and after enjoying some pizza and Prestige, Dr. Paul Ellenbogen, Chair, ACR Board of Chancellors, thanked the volunteers, organizations, patients, staff and representatives that made the event possible.  He ended his remarks with a great joke.