Dr. George Takes Advanced Laparoscopy to the Eastern Caribbean
Agenda
August 10, 2008

My Dear friends:

To say that I have been busy during the last week would be a huge understatement. Propelled by the commitment to memorialize a dear friend Dr. Hector Collison who was tragically killed in a plane crash in Virginia in March 2008, I went to St. Lucia to set up an advanced laparoscopy program at the Tapion hospital. He had been aware of the hospital's desire to set up such a program and during my visit to St. Kitts in January, 2008 he put me in touch with Dr. Trona Bennett a gynecologist at Tapion. She immediately Fedexed my credentialing package, and during the succeeding months we put all the nuts and bolts together.

I was able to secure the sponsorship of  Pan American Health and Education Foundation and the support of many corporations including the Washington Hospital Center, Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc, Ethicon Inc. and Stryker Endoscopy.

Finally I selected a team of three to accompany me. They were Barbara Jackson, nurse; Tyronne Crawford, Surgical assistant and David Vandygriff, biomedical engineer. A representative from Johnson and Johnson who lives in Trinidad subsequently joined us.  

I arrived on Friday afternoon August 1st and had time only to meet with the hospital leadership for dinner. On Saturday, I evaluated most of the patients for surgery and unpacked the twenty (20) or so boxes of equipment. The biomedical engineer was on hand to see all equipment set up and functional. My nurse and surgical assistant arrived on Sunday and were ready to operate with me the following morning.

The training that I conducted included lectures, surgery and skills workshops from Monday thru Thursday. Some of the physicians who participated practice at both the private and public hospitals. Gynecologists, General surgeons, a urologist and several nurses attended the sessions. The entire event proceeded as though we had rehearsed it several times. I think that the credit is due not just to my team but to the Tapion hospital whose cutting edge philosophy is much more than a slogan. The hospital is efficient and gets the job done effectively. You would not guess that as you drive to the facility. The modest sign saying Tapion, the winding narrow road filled wit pot holes and the modest structure do not prepare you for what's inside. From the medical director and the executive director to the nursing staff and the administrative and maintenance teams, one could sense dedication. In fact the briefing that I first received was by the properties manager who picked me up at the airport. He seemed to have the answer to everything except the clinical information. He explained the mystery of the white birds that had a permanent nest on one of the trees near the hotel. In his Saskatchewan drawl, he explained, "They are egrets. Every egret has a cow. They follow the cow and eat the ticks off its hyde".

My team was fascinated with the dedication and expertise of the hospital staff particularly the nurses. Most of all they were mesmerized by the hospitality. They seemed shocked when an interview that was recorded on Thursday afternoon was aired on St. Lucia TV that evening during the farewell reception. I would have been similarly impacted except that my early years were spent in Grenada so I am well aware of the Caribbean way.  

For me, the most poignant moment was when I met the patient from Grenada. She had been referred to me and would have come to Washington for care but I was able to include her in the St . Lucia mission. She and family sat happily with me after her successful laparoscopic surgery.  She saved hundreds of dollars by traveling to Tapion instead of Washington DC. My sincere hope is that the program will flourish and that patients from the Eastern Caribbean could soon go to Tapion to receive quality care for minimally invasive surgery like laparoscopy. Benefits of laparoscopic surgery include less bleeding and scarring, less pain after surgery, quicker recovery and a better cosmetic effect.

Grenada? I would have been thrilled to have done this in my home. I tried. Having said that, if I am invited I will be happy to give of my services. I will be back in St. Lucia to conduct additional sessions and I have asked and the Tapion team has agreed to accommodate Grenadian doctors if they would like to participate. I would also be happy to operate in Grenada, but that requires planning.

I have attached a few pictures from the mission.

Sincerely,

John

 Photo: Drs. George and Bishop in surgery.

 

Photo: Drs. Bennett, Bishop and the J&J rep and Dr. George





Photo: Preparing for the media.

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