Children of China Pediatrics Foundation has been caring for Chinese orphans and indigent children in China for more than twenty years. Year after year without fail volunteer nurses, therapists, surgeons, doctors provided free care to hundreds of children all over China. The pandemic changed all that. I led a trip to Shenzhen last fall and that was the last time we were able to make arrangements with a Chinese hospital to bring teams and equipment to perform surgeries and to provide modern physical therapy rehabilitation.
Our paradigm has always been repeated visits to the same hospitals and forming a close partnership with our Chinese partners so that there was seamless delivery of care and seamless follow up. This crisis has really created hurdles for us and as we are all aware, hurdles for all healthcare providers. As the CMO of this organization this has presented a challenge that we are trying hard to meet. I have one monumental advantage – I now live in China. I moved to Beijing in mid-February 2020 and now have moved to Guangzhou. I can face the logistics of how to continue to help our continuing patients.
I am a pediatric orthopedic surgeon with an expertise in spine surgery for kids. CCPF has undertaken to treat many children with early onset scoliosis with growing rod systems that need to be lengthened regularly. It requires spinal cord monitoring, specialized instrumentation and implants. We have a number of kids who need lengthening or revision so I must find a place to do that. Adding to the difficulties is the current political posturing by the USA and PRC. My solution is to partner with Chinese institutions and their surgeons to get the cases done with the help of the on the ground Chinese staff of CCPF.
Last week I wangled an invitation to visit hospitals in Fujian Province with the help of a pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Xiamen with whom I have become reacquainted since moving here. Dr. Feng Lin accompanied me and the team on a tour of Xiamen Children’s Hospital in Xiamen. I was accompanied by my JuniperMD team including my CEO Liu Da and my operations officer Dr. Liu Zhilu. On the CCPF side our cofounder Dr. Hong Haiyang and Claire (and I). It was a collegial group being hosted by open enthusiastic providers from both hospitals.
overlooking the sea in Xiamen. We met friends in the hospitality industry and toured a few new bars – they were innovative, interesting and fun. The next day we were at Xiamen Children’s Hospital at 0900 and were really impressed by the 6 year old institution – a full service children’s hospital partnering with Fudan Children’s Hospital to provide the backup that a new, growing institution needs. The staff was professional and welcoming – no political issues it seemed!
After a quick lunch at Xiamen’s Children’s Hospital we left by car for Quanzhou and the Quanzhou Orthopedic Hospital. They have a complete orthopedic service including a burgeoning pediatric orthopedic division under the leadership of Li Bingzuan. They do trauma of course, but also reconstruction and they treat spine cases non operatively (i.e. casting and bracing). They have spinal cord monitoring and spine surgeons and an ICU but no PICU and no pediatricians. They have an agreement with Quanzhou Women’s and Children’s Hospital to provide those specialists. The hospital was open, clean, efficient and the staff was professional and welcoming.
We had a wonderful afternoon walking in brilliant clear sunlight, perfect fall weather, and visited an ancient temple where we walked and took pictures before walking into the central shopping eating district around the temple for dinner. We drove back to our hotel in Xiamen to get some rest before an early morning flight back to Guangzhou.
I was so pleased by the trip. Not only was it not difficult to talk about coming there to perform needed surgery for the kids I have lined up, both teams were eager to help CCPF in general and in the future. It was really gratifying. A perfect 36 hour trip – successful meetings with aligned incentives, collegial intelligent colleagues, perfect weather in two beautiful cities and delicious seafood. Hopefully we will be back soon to actually perform the surgeries and to cooperate helping local children as well.
