Colorectal Center brings care to kids in the United Arab Emirates
Jason Frischer, MD, director, and Ileana Taulbee, RN, Colorectal Center, delivered care for 32 children in the Middle East during our first colorectal collaborative with NMC Healthcare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month. Fifteen of the patients had been seen here and received follow-up care for anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease and other conditions related to their bowel activity. Frischer also performed three surgeries on patients from Yemen, India and the UAE.
The one-week, extensive outpatient program leads the way for future surgical collaboration with NMC in a booming region of the world that can benefit from our specialized expertise, multidisciplinary approach, and solid post-operative care for highly complex patients.
At Cincinnati Children’s, we care for about 700 patients each year from all over the world, of which 250 children come through our intensive bowel management program. The team also performs nearly 500 colorectal-specific surgeries per year.
Historically, UAE patients came to Cincinnati Children’s for the entire program. It takes a week or longer just to complete the imaging and preparatory studies required to see what’s going on with the colorectal system. By bringing the clinic to the UAE, much of the evaluation and care can be done in country, and our team can determine if surgery is necessary before a patient travels here.
“It’s the right thing for the patients and their families. It’s the right thing for cost. It's the right thing for patient experience and successful outcomes,” says Frischer. “By providing in-person, follow-up care, we will prevent long-term complications, even subsequent to the best of medical and surgical interventions. And, we can shorten the stay and lessen the stress on families who may still have to travel to the United States.”
Many patients who participate in the clinic often have a higher sense of self-esteem, improved quality of life and can avoid bowel accidents, permanent colostomy and dependence on diapers potentially without surgery.
NMC Healthcare began in Abu Dhabi in 1975. The international pharmaceutical company operates a network of 45+ hospitals and care facilities in Spain, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE. The main hospital has 2,000 beds.
Additional bowel management clinics are planned for May and October of 2018. The colorectal team will also provide some follow-up care through video conferencing.
