El Camino Hospital and Palo Alto Medical Foundation Delegation to India to Explore Partnerships to Improve Community Health

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 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."

About El Camino Hospital
El Camino Hospital is an acute-care, 443-bed, nonprofit and locally governed organization with campuses in Mountain View and Los Gatos, Calif.  In addition to state-of-the-art emergency departments, key medical specialties include heart and vascular, cancer care, urology, orthopedic and spine, genomic medicine, and the only Women's Hospital in Northern California.  The hospital is recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology and wireless communications, and has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center as well as back-to-back ANCC Magnet Recognitions for Nursing Care.

To learn more, visit our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or view our videos on YouTube. For a physician referral, visit our website or call the El Camino Health Line at 800-216-5556.

About Palo Alto Medical Foundation
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation for Health Care, Research and Education (PAMF) is a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to enhancing the health of people in our communities. This includes more than 800,000 patients and countless community members across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.

PAMF is part of the Peninsula Coastal Region of Sutter Health, a family of not-for-profit hospitals and physician organizations that share resources and expertise to advance health care quality. Serving more than 100 communities in Northern California, Sutter Health is a regional leader in cardiac care as well as care of women and children, and is a pioneer in advanced patient safety technology. Sutter Health's Peninsula Coastal Region also includes Mills-Peninsula Health Services, based in Burlingame and San Mateo.

SOURCE El Camino Hospital