Experiences, Observations, and Recommendations Related to Visits to the Semey Region of Kazakhstan from the Perspective of a Hospital Administrator

Simple item page
dc.citation.journalTitleDialogues Across Health, Science, Humanities, and Archives
dc.citation.volumeNumber1
dc.contributor.authorWright, Randall P.
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-12T13:40:59Z
dc.date.available2024-04-12T13:40:59Z
dc.date.issued2024-04
dc.description.abstractThis community case study is based on personal experiences as the Methodist Hospital representative assigned to the American International Health Alliance (AIHA) project in Semey, Kazakhstan during 1995-1996. Although I had over twenty years of hospital management experience, the healthcare structure in Kazakhstan was functioning on a rudimentary level, which made my background of limited help. Specifically, the transition from a Soviet Republic to an independent nation had disrupted the economy and left the healthcare system in shambles. Over three visits to the region—Feb 1995, Aug 1995, and September 1996—I was able to see cultural and economic barriers to changing the healthcare structure to a more efficient, all-encompassing medicine model. In broad terms, the lessons I learned were: (1) how poorly prepared I was to help with the terrible conditions in the Semey hospitals; (2) the difficulty presented by dependence on translation, which limited development of strong personal relationships with the Kazakhs; (3) the need to balance various Kazakh interests and the competition among hospitals and entities over control of the AIHA project; (4) an appreciation for Bishop Woodrow Hearn and Dr. Armin Weinberg, who first saw the needs and opportunities to help this region; and (5) missed opportunities to make my role more productive, such as contacting non-government organization (NGO) representatives on the ground prior to travel. The goal of this case study is to share what I learned and experienced during the visits, working as part of an international program that crossed cultural and governmental lines, and these lessons remain relevant today.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/115482
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.subject.keywordSemey, Kazakhstan
dc.subject.keywordnuclear testing
dc.subject.keywordhospital administration
dc.subject.keywordcultural differences
dc.subject.keywordcross-cultural partnerships
dc.titleExperiences, Observations, and Recommendations Related to Visits to the Semey Region of Kazakhstan from the Perspective of a Hospital Administrator
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.dcmiText
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Wright Article, Issue 1 (Final).pdf
Size:
285.47 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.7 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Volume 1: Radiation Effects and Events (Winter 2024)