Purdue, and Chinese hospitals working to form lasting relationship

In addition to visiting Purdue, the delegation of Chinese hospital directors will meet with staff and tour several Indianapolis medical facilities, including Wishard Health Services, the Indiana University Oncology Center, Community Health Network's North Indiana Surgery Center and the Indiana Heart Hospital.

The China Hospital Association and the Bayer China Hospital Development Foundation organized the visit with the assistance of Sandra Liu, director of international training for Purdue's Discovery Park, and Bob Morr, vice president for the Indiana Hospital and Health Association.

The purpose of the visit to the United States is to exchange views and to explore topics of management and strategies in the health-care industry with local experts, Liu said.

"A number of Chinese hospitals have had long-standing relationships with the United States," Liu said. "The China Hospital Association and Bayer Chinese Hospital Development Foundation are now looking to form a strategic alliance with Purdue and U.S. health-care institutions."

Ronggui Cao, who is president of the China Hospital Association, will lead the delegation on its Indiana tour. Cao also is a former minister of the Ministry of Health in China. While serving in that capacity, he facilitated a number of collaborative projects between China and the United States.

In Indianapolis, the group will cover several health-care topics for a comparison on how the two countries structure their system to include access to health-care providers, patient-care quality and provider payment.

Other topics to be covered by members of the Indianapolis medical community include the role of primary care in the creation of a healthy community and the management of cancer in the Indianapolis community.

The Community Health Network will offer a seminar on Tuesday (April 18) and half of Wednesday (April 19) on how U.S. health-care providers use branding, physician partnerships and clinical centers to effectively compete.

Harry Gonzo, chief of staff for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, is scheduled to speak to the delegation at a dinner hosted by Community on Tuesday at the Hilton North in Indianapolis.

The delegation will arrive at Purdue at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for presentations in Stewart Center, Room 313.

Steven Witz, director of the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering at Discovery Park, will speak to the delegation about his center's role in improving the delivery of health care by using the principles of engineering, technology and supply-chain management.

After that, Liu will give a review and evaluation of hospital branding.

Initial areas of research at Purdue's Regenstrief Center have included improving the safety and efficiency of patient care; providing more efficient deployment of physicians, nurses and other health-care personnel; and better coordinating inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Examples of interdisciplinary efforts at the Regenstrief Center include programs for Purdue liberal arts faculty in areas such as sociology, health communication and kinesiology, as well as collaborations for Purdue researchers in pharmacy, nursing, health sciences, consumer sciences, technology, agriculture and veterinary medicine.

Writers: Phillip Fiorini, (765) 496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu

Kiersti Kjonaas, (765) 494-2081, kkjonaas@purdue.edu

Source: Sandra Liu, (765) 494-8310, (765) 494-1314, liuss@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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