In late Summer 2014, University of Michigan medical students, Kashif Ahmed and Devika Bagchi, were supported by Global REACH to participate in a hypertension-focused pilot program utilizing weekly videoconferencing and a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) system for at-risk elders, and a needs assessment for children - all of whom live at the Grace Care Center (GCC) in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
In December 2015, a third UMMS student, Anjan Saha (shown at right), received funding from Global REACH to support his participation in continuing the collaboration with Ross Business School and GCC. Mr. Saha, who is in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) within the Medical School, spent 2 1/2 months in Trincomalee working with local stakeholders on using the GCC model to extend health care access to members of the Trincomalee community outside of the GCC compound. One of the new initiatives, which Mr. Saha helped coordinate, was a two-week “Elder Night Medical Camp,” that offered free blood pressure and glucose checks to local residents.
Read Mr. Saha's field report here.
Read the previous Global REACH article on UMMS participation at Grace Care Center here.
