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Matthew D. Goodwin, M.D.
Diplomat of the American Board of Plastic Surgery
Diplomat of the American Board of Plastic Surgery
| Call for an appointment: 561-655-6622 |
The tragedy from the earthquake in Haiti has rallied the world to contribute
to disaster relief. Since the catastrophe began, Project Medishare in
partnership with the University of Miami physicians and health professionals
have been on the ground in Port-au-Prince, Haiti working to treat the
injured and sick people in need.
Dr. Goodwin recently spent 6 days participating in this team effort. Having
been to Haiti on several occasions for cleft lip and palate missions and
knowing of the current state of devastation, Dr. Goodwin was very
impressed with the organization and facility that had been constructed. The
hospital consisted of approximately 240 ward beds both adult and
pediatric, 4 operating rooms, an intensive care unit with step-down, an
emergency room, and wound care areas (pediatric, adult, and outpatient).
Furthermore, there is pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology areas. Volunteer
medical staff and logistics/communications experts participate on a rotating
basis (5-7 day trips) and stay in tents on the premises located adjacent to
Port-au-Prince's Toussant Louverture International Airport.
The facility treats patients that have suffered injuries from the earthquake
and those that have other illnesses and injuries. The devastation had left all
the medical facilities previously functioning before the earthquake at
significantly diminished capacity. Patients would either come to the facility
on their own or by transfer from smaller clinics in Haiti.
The volunteers participated with an all-hands-on-deck approach to health
care. Everyone worked together help as many patients as possible with as
high a quality of care as possible. There was lots of orthopedic surgery and
wound care. Dr. Goodwin specifically performed skin grafts, local tissue
flaps, revision amputations, and wound debridements. Some surgeons were
also repairing facial fractures and there was some neurosurgery performed
as well. Several patients were deemed to have injuries or illnesses that
should be treated either in the United States or the USS Comfort Hospital
Ship; the staff all worked to facilitate these transfers.
Dr. Goodwin was particularly impressed with how the hospital continued to
evolve and improve as the needs were developing. Protocols were
instituted to decrease infections, maximize patient comfort, and develop a
microbiology lab for cultures. Furthermore, plans were underway to
develop a more permanent hospital facility away from the flood plain where
the hospital is currently located.
These generosity of people and organizations throughout the world to aid
Haiti has been tremendous. However, this is just the beginning. There must
be a sustained effort to build health and human services to a country that
barely had this prior to the earthquake. Please continue to contribute.
Click here to learn about previous missions Dr. Goodwin has participated
with Project Medishare
Click here to donate to Project Medishare
Links:
Project Medishare - http://projectmedishare.org/
University of Miami, Global Institute - http://umglobalinstitute.com/
to disaster relief. Since the catastrophe began, Project Medishare in
partnership with the University of Miami physicians and health professionals
have been on the ground in Port-au-Prince, Haiti working to treat the
injured and sick people in need.
Dr. Goodwin recently spent 6 days participating in this team effort. Having
been to Haiti on several occasions for cleft lip and palate missions and
knowing of the current state of devastation, Dr. Goodwin was very
impressed with the organization and facility that had been constructed. The
hospital consisted of approximately 240 ward beds both adult and
pediatric, 4 operating rooms, an intensive care unit with step-down, an
emergency room, and wound care areas (pediatric, adult, and outpatient).
Furthermore, there is pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology areas. Volunteer
medical staff and logistics/communications experts participate on a rotating
basis (5-7 day trips) and stay in tents on the premises located adjacent to
Port-au-Prince's Toussant Louverture International Airport.
The facility treats patients that have suffered injuries from the earthquake
and those that have other illnesses and injuries. The devastation had left all
the medical facilities previously functioning before the earthquake at
significantly diminished capacity. Patients would either come to the facility
on their own or by transfer from smaller clinics in Haiti.
The volunteers participated with an all-hands-on-deck approach to health
care. Everyone worked together help as many patients as possible with as
high a quality of care as possible. There was lots of orthopedic surgery and
wound care. Dr. Goodwin specifically performed skin grafts, local tissue
flaps, revision amputations, and wound debridements. Some surgeons were
also repairing facial fractures and there was some neurosurgery performed
as well. Several patients were deemed to have injuries or illnesses that
should be treated either in the United States or the USS Comfort Hospital
Ship; the staff all worked to facilitate these transfers.
Dr. Goodwin was particularly impressed with how the hospital continued to
evolve and improve as the needs were developing. Protocols were
instituted to decrease infections, maximize patient comfort, and develop a
microbiology lab for cultures. Furthermore, plans were underway to
develop a more permanent hospital facility away from the flood plain where
the hospital is currently located.
These generosity of people and organizations throughout the world to aid
Haiti has been tremendous. However, this is just the beginning. There must
be a sustained effort to build health and human services to a country that
barely had this prior to the earthquake. Please continue to contribute.
Click here to learn about previous missions Dr. Goodwin has participated
with Project Medishare
Click here to donate to Project Medishare
Links:
Project Medishare - http://projectmedishare.org/
University of Miami, Global Institute - http://umglobalinstitute.com/
| Click here to find out how to contribute to the relief efforts in Haiti with Project Medishare and the University of Miami Global Institute |
