Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA International Network Initiative
Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA (MCH/UCLA) ranks among the nation's top pediatric hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2008 edition of America's Best Children's Hospitals. Its new I.M. Pei designed hospital provides a healing environment for family-centered care of seriously ill and injured children. Affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, teaching, training, and research conducted at the school translates into improved treatment for children locally, nationally, and around the world.
MCH/UCLA proposes to establish the International Network Initiative, a global network of pediatric specialists from many disciplines with the ultimate goal of speeding up innovation. Once launched, the MCH/UCLA International Network Initiative will:
- Quickly and efficiently disseminate and exchange information about advances in medical research, training, application and public policy
- Improve the care and treatment of children globally by accelerating both the translation of research into public policy and into clinical practice
- Increase the numbers of healthy children in developing Asian countries so that they are better prepared to resist infectious diseases during a natural or national disaster
A two phased plan that will lead to a conference to establish and roll out the MCH/UCLA International Network Initiative is in process. Preparation for the conference will take place in the following phases:
- Phase I: a preliminary videoconference to discuss the agenda for the planning workshop
- Phase II: a planning workshop held at UCLA to establish the program for the conference
Representatives from MCH/UCLA's Japanese partner institution in this initiative, The Jikei University School of Medicine, are helping to plan both meetings. The Jikei University School of Medicine is a prominent private medical school located in Tokyo. The University includes the medical faculty, the graduate school of medical research, three training schools for nurses, and four attached hospitals. All the entities are engaged in education, research, and clinical service. Founded in 1881, The Jikei University School of Medicine requires students to acquire the basic knowledge and skills of medicine, practice medicine guided by medical ethics, and enrich their human qualities. Dr. Edward McCabe, Physician-in-Chief of the Mattel Children's Hospital, is an Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics at The Jikei University.
Description of Problem/Need: The United Nations estimates that the world's population will continue to grow, with the largest population growth predicted in Asia. Sadly, a 2005 World Health Organization report states that approximately 11 million children worldwide under the age of five die annually, most from preventable diseases. Of this number, more than 4 million children die in Asia and the Pacific.
MCH/UCLA's International Network Initiative recognizes that in the aftermath of any national or natural disasters, populations are dislocated, families are separated, the incidence of poverty increases, and threats of infectious diseases are widespread. Developing countries in Asia find their limited resources stretched to capacity and existing vulnerable populations become more vulnerable. The cycle of poor health and poverty continues producing weakened governments that become regional security risks.
Proposed Solution: MCH/UCLA International Network Initiative will provide a non-traditional approach to global security by building a robust network of pediatric physicians, researchers, and policy makers. They will partner with business leaders, government representatives, technology experts, and non-governmental organizations working together to address these critical issues and rapidly advance innovation. By engaging expertise across many disciplines and encouraging cooperation, it can most effectively identify problems and craft solutions that provide short term results with long term effects.
To begin, MCH/UCLA recognizes that the pediatric research community of Asia is not included in most pediatric research organizations. Currently, intellectual exchanges primarily take place between North America and Europe. The International Network will expand the international pediatric research community to reach beyond the insularity of the western medical profession to have more global representation by including Japan, China, and India.
By establishing an intellectual exchange between continents, new alliances will provide North American and European pediatric health care professionals with the ability to access new technologies and improved methods for the rapid and efficient translation of scientific and policy research currently underway in Japan, China, and India. Moreover, the MCH/UCLA International Network will enable pediatric experts from Japan, China, and India to have access to the education, research, training and policy advances from their North American and European colleagues. This information exchange will be disseminated through this new global network.
By applying a "soft diplomacy" approach of engaging great minds across many disciplines from various countries to solve complex problems, the MCH/UCLA International Network will contribute to greater stability in developing Asian countries and elsewhere by:
- improving the health of children in vulnerable countries
- increasing the access to important medical and policy research
- accelerating the translation of research into clinical care and public policy
Qualifications for Implementation: MCH/UCLA has partnered with The Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo and has the full support of the School and its Department of Pediatrics. MCH/UCLA has signed an official Memorandum of Understanding with The Jikei University that formalizes the relationship to further develop collaborations and exchanges.
Currently, MCH/UCLA International Network has received a commitment for start-up funds from a member of the MCH/UCLA board of directors.