El Camino Hospital and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation today announced that following the return of its delegation to India as part of Mayor Ed Lee's SF Bangalore Sister City Initiative, the organizations will be exploring memoranda of understanding (MOU) with local Indian hospitals, healthcare organizations and technology companies.
"The delegation met its objectives to exchange information and best practices on topics ranging from technological advances to the delivery of affordable healthcare and to actively seek partnership opportunities," Nandini Tandon, PhD., vice chair of the El Camino Hospital Board of Directors and member of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute Board of Directors. "We are grateful to Mayor Lee for leading this effort and to our Indian hosts for giving us the opportunity to engage in these important discussions that will lead to increased cooperation throughout the next year and beyond."
The 12-member delegation of physicians and executives from the two organizations spent a week meeting with physicians, government and business leaders. The intensive schedule included tours of hospitals, biopharmaceutical and technology companies and members participated in large panel discussions in both Bangalore and Delhi.
"Despite our differences, what we found at every stop is that we both share a common purpose – to improve the health of our communities and deliver quality, affordable healthcare," said Tomi Ryba, president and chief executive officer, El Camino Hospital. "In the coming months, we will be solidifying specific memoranda of understanding to continue our collaborations and grow our collective body of knowledge around healthcare delivery and medical practice in our respective communities."
The pending MOUs will focus on three core areas. The first is Community Health, which will build upon the work currently being done at the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital and South Asian Health Program at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation to proactively address conditions that are more prevalent in the South Asian community. The work will focus on preventative wellness and early disease indicators. A second focus will be around the use of technology, especially texting and telepresence to connect patients to their health providers. A third focus will revolve around medical and surgical innovations and will enable physicians from El Camino and PAMF and in India to directly exchange valuable information and expertise.
"To continue serving the medical needs of our community, we must be willing to look at other countries' best practices and seek ways to apply some of their best practices to what we're doing," Elizabeth Vilardo, MD, division president, Palo Alto Medical Foundation. "It's exciting to have been part of such a prestigious delegation and, like our partners at El Camino Hospital, we look forward to what we hope will develop into long-term, collaborative partnerships that can affect change on two continents."
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