Exchanging ideas and best practices in China

I will remember for a long time the connections I made on a recent visit to China. As part of the visit we joined together with a group of children’s hospital leaders to sign a ceremonial proclamation renewing our mutual dedication to investments in children’s health. At the 2018 Pujiang Forum of Pediatrics and to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, we talked about how to prioritize programs to help our most vulnerable children and shared ideas that will improve the lives of children no matter where they live. At Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang Medical School we met with leadership to better understand how we can work together to ensure a healthy future for newborns there and in our own country.

Not that long ago, I would have called a trip like this a once in a lifetime opportunity, but based on the exciting conversations and inspiring people I met on our visit, I have a feeling this is only the first of many chances I’ll have to learn from our colleagues and friends there.

At the Forum of Pediatrics, I was asked to talk about the components of success at our hospital. I talked a lot about the importance of making decisions based on what’s right for the children you serve, and how doing so allows the other successes, including the financial ones — to follow. Making sure that the quality of the care and patient satisfaction are measured and communicated clearly and transparently so everyone knows how to keep improving the care they deliver, is a good example. Taking care of kids means always looking for the next great idea. What will make a treatment less invasive, more precise, or maybe even not necessary at all?

Children’s National has a long history with the medical community in China, especially at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center. Richard Jonas, our chief of cardiac surgery, and David Wessel, our chief medical officer, have remained connected to the community there through work with Project Hope, which helped Shanghai Children’s Medical Center become a hub for pediatric care in China.

I’m eager to see what the future holds for the children of our two countries, given our shared mission to help kids grow up stronger.