Treating International Patients

February 20, 2019

Lahey’s Global Community of Care


An airplane wing through airplane window with a cloudy sky background
 

Clinicians at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center provide the highest level of care here at home—and around the world. Lahey volunteer teams have traveled to 32 countries, including Bolivia, El Salvador, Haiti, Kenya, Syria and Turkey. They also go to rural communities and Native American reservations in the United States to provide needed medical services. And when a natural disaster strikes here in the United States, Lahey helps those areas in need.

A Two-Way Street

The Global Outreach Program, founded in 1993, underwrites travel expenses so Lahey clinicians and other staff can bring their medical expertise to people around the world. These humanitarian missions help patients in these areas, as well as the local doctors and nurses, since our staff shares their expertise and helps set up new programs.

Lahey cardiologist David Martin, MD, co-directs the program. He points out that the Lahey doctors and nurses also benefit. “We learn from our colleagues in the developing world how to provide care when resources are limited, and these trips build resilience in the staff,” he says.

Welcome Home

Staff from 25 different hospital departments have traveled with the Global Outreach Program. They return to Lahey energized, motivated and eager to reconnect with their patients. And the benefits don’t stop there.

“Patients get fired up when they know their own doctor is helping in this way,” Dr. Martin says. “They understand it is good for the entire Lahey organization that we do this important work.”

You Can Help

Lahey’s Global Outreach Program depends on gifts from individuals who want to see the program thrive and grow. You can help us send more doctors and nurses to change lives for the better around the world. To learn more, contact Patricia Newton at 781-744-3333.



*The content on this website is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult a physician regarding your specific medical condition, diagnosis and/or treatment.