Breakout #4

While many believe in miracles and the power of prayer to heal, there is relatively little medical and scientific investigation of healing prayer. The Global Medical Research Institute was formed in 2012 with the mission of researching effects of healing prayer, focused mainly on case reports of remarkable healing following prayer and randomized controlled clinical trials of prayer effects on medical outcomes. We review several recently published case reports of remarkable healings following prayer as well as preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine on the efficacy of Christian prayer in a clinical setting for pain and anxiety.

Objectives:

1. Describe the current literature on Christian healing prayer 
2. Assess recent case studies and preliminary clinical trial findings on Christian healing prayer

Citations:

Brown, C. G., Mory, S. C., Williams, R., & McClymond, M. J. (2010). Study of the therapeutic effects of proximal intercessory prayer (STEPP) on auditory and visual impairments in rural Mozambique. Southern Medical Journal, 103, 864–869. https://doi.org/10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181e73fea

Matthews, D. A., Marlowe, S. M., & MacNutt, F. S. (2000). Effects of Intercessory Prayer on Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Southern Medical Journal, 93, 1177– 1186. 

Romez, C., Zaritzky, D., & Brown, J. W. (2019). Case Report of gastroparesis healing: 16 years of a chronic syndrome resolved after proximal intercessory prayer. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 43, 289–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.004

Romez C, Freedman K, Zaritzky D, Brown JW. Case report of instantaneous resolution of juvenile macular degeneration blindness after proximal intercessory prayer. Explore (NY). 2021 Jan-Feb;17(1):79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.02.011. Epub 2020 Feb 28. PMID: 32234287. 

Katherine is an Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. She is a member of CMDA, AAPLOG, AAFP, MDAFP, MedChi, and the Baltimore County Medical Association. Dr. Jacobson received her B.S. Degree from University of Maryland, College Park and her MD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Jacobson advises her campus Christian Medical Society and recently completed a clinical trial on Christian proximal (in-person) and virtual intercessory prayer for healing for pain and anxiety in her outpatient office.

Brenda is tenured faculty at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee. She has taught courses in the School of Nursing (BSN and DNP) and the Emergency Management major. Dr. Jones earned a PhD in Public Health from Walden University, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida. She has practiced as a Certified Nurse Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner, and National Healthcare Disaster Professional. Dr. Jones serves on the Board of Directors for the Global Medical Research Institute and the Rural Health Association of Tennessee.

Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders Inc./ Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative. Dr. Zipp has been a nurse for 24 years and has expertise in NRPs, Mentorship, Professional Development, EBP and Research. She was recently Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). Dr. Zipp received her BSN (’00) Masters of Science in Health Services/ Leadership & Management (’12) and her DNP (’18) from UMSON where she also earned her Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate. Her DNP work focused on implementation of a mentorship program in augmentation of the Vizient/ AACN NRP.

Poverty and health are closely associated. The nations of poverty host lowest life expectancy, greatest child mortality, and highest preventable deaths. Three interventions are especially effective. First, promotion of broad-based economic development which usually enhances health infrastructure. Second, mitigation of military conflict, which especially afflicts those most vulnerable. Third, deployment of specific interventions that have proven particularly effective against the leading diseases of poverty including early detection of pneumonia, provision of safe drinking water, and malaria prevention bed nets. This presentation makes extensive use of interactive questions between the presenter and the audience.

Objectives:

1. Describe the importance of broad-based economic development in mitigating the diseases of poverty
2. Summarize how military conflict contributes to diseases of poverty
3. List at least three specific interventions that have proven particularly effective in combating diseases of poverty

Citations:

Measles in the 21st Century- Progress Toward Achieving and Sustaining Elimination. Journal of Infectious Disease, 2021

Neglected Tropical Diseases- an Effective Global Response to Local Poverty-Related Disease Priorities. Infectious Diseases and Poverty, 2020

Global Tuberculosis Report 2020 – Reflections on the Global TB Burden, Treatment and Prevention Efforts. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2021

Nicholas is President and Professor of INMED, the Institute for International Medicine. He is also part-time faculty at Research Medical Center Family Medicine Residency. Over a two-year period, Dr. Comninellis served inner-city citizens at Shanghai Charity Hospital. Over another two years, he led a healthcare ministry in the war-besieged nation of Angola in southern Africa. Dr. Comninellis next served for six years in the Kansas City public hospital before launching INMED in 2003. Dr. Comninellis is a classical guitarist and faculty advisor for Cru at University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The aims and work of health care will serve God and His purposes when the people doing the aiming and the working serve God and His purposes. In this session, we will look together at some questions, principles, aims, and practices of living a “work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope …” that make health care and all of life serve God and His gospel. Expect in this workshop to be able to:

1. Discuss what it should look like if medicine/health care is serving God and His gospel.
2. Articulate and explain key elements involved in a practice of life and health care that serve God and His gospel.
3. Outline a personal approach to purposeful, gospel-centered practices of life and work in health care.

Tim is a richly blessed child of God, husband, and father who rejoices in God and His grace. Trained as a physician scientist, he has a spectrum of academic and medical service experiences both domestically and internationally in areas of medical and biomedical education and program development; medical laboratory development; advising and training for vocational living; and health care enhancement within rural, underserved populations. The unifying focus and aim in all of this is for a meaningful work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in the One who is worthy of all praise and devotion.

This presentation will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the period between receiving a call to mission work and actual deployment to the field. We will examine the length of preparation time, strategies for maintaining the freshness and vitality of the call, and methods for leveraging the preparatory season to enhance one’s effectiveness in mission service.

Objectives:

1. Describe some of the common challenges and obstacles that Western healthcare professionals face when transitioning to a practice in a majority world context
2. Discuss unique opportunities that Western healthcare professionals can capitalize upon as healthcare missionaries serving cross-culturally
3. Describe the length of time that preparation for healthcare missions service consumes, and ways to remain fresh, vibrant, and effective through these years.

Citations:

Tazelaar G. Challenges and trends in global healthcare missions. J Christ Nurs. 2011 Jul-Sep;28(3):152-7. doi: 10.1097/cnj.0b013e31821da634. PMID: 21853716.

ACGME Data Resource Book 2023-2024. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; 2023. Available at: https://www.acgme.org/globalassets/pfassets/publicationsbooks/dataresourcebook2023-2024.pdf. Accessed 2024-11-26.

American Medical Association. Specialty Preferences and After Med School Numbers. AMA. https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-students/specialty-profiles/specialty-preferences-and-after-med-school-numbers. Accessed 2024-11-26.

Gunderson CG, Sussman DA. The Medical Scientist Training Program: 50 Years and Counting. J Clin Invest. 2017;127(7):2415-2419. doi:10.1172/JCI94138. PMID: 28691927; PMCID: PMC5753449.

Thomas is the Director of Global Health Strategies at International Mission Board, in Richmond, VA. His undergraduate studies were at Florida Southern College (BS in Biology), and he went on to obtain his MD from University of Alabama School of Medicine and his MPH (epidemiology) from UAB School of Public Health. His pediatric residency training was completed at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. He worked in a majority world context in the Far East for 26 years, and has now been overseeing global health strategies for a major mission sending organization where he helps oversee and coordinate the work of hundreds of healthcare missionaries working cross-culturally. He has unique insight into what it takes to prepare for effective service in this context. 

This presentation will discuss the role of rehabilitation in healthcare missions, both in mission hospitals and clinics held during short term mission trips.

Objectives:

1. Understand the role of rehabilitation therapies in healthcare missions
2. Understand the importance of rehabilitation to mission hospitals
3. Understand the role of rehabilitation therapies in communities served on short term mission trips

Citations:

Sykes K. Short-term medical service trips: a systematic review of the evidence. Am J Public Heal. 2014;104:e38-48. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301983. [Epub 2014 May 15].

Dupre AM, Goodgold S. Implementation of a physical therapy needs assessment in Nicaragua [abstract] [Internet]. Physical Therapy Online. 2005. http://aptaapps.apta.org/Abstracts/abstract.aspx?abnum=QUNQUFBUMDV8UE8tU0ktMTMtVEguSFRNTAPublished 2005. [cited 2014 Apr 28]

Faanes E. Experiences of physical therapists who participate in disaster relief work in Haiti [Doctor of Physical Therapy Research Paper]. Saint Paul, MN: St. Catherine University Sophia. 2012. [cited 2013 March 20] Available from: http://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=dpt_papers

Liao H, Lai J, Chai H, Yaung C, Liao W. Supply of physical therapists in member countries of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. 1997;13:227-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09593989709036466

Nixon S, Cleaver S, Stevens M, Hard J, Landry M. The role of physical therapists in natural disasters: what can we learn from the earthquake in Haiti? Physiother Can. 2010;62:167–8. Available from:http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/physio.62.3.167

Steele D, Beitman C. Inclusion of physical therapy services on a short term mobile medical mission team to Nicaragua: a qualitative description study of team members’ observations and recommendations for improvement. Christian Journal for Global Health. 2015: 2 (2): (39-51). DOI: 10.15566/cjgh.v2i2.81

Roy, PT, MHA, Wadsworth “Skip” is retired after 51 years at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, NC. He continues to serve as a PT in a mission hospital in Kenya, East Africa. He is a member of the leadership team of Christian Physical Rehab Professionals at Christian Medical & Dental Associations, is the rehabilitation champion of the Friends of Tenwek Organization, and serves as the director on the board of the volunteers at WakeMed Health and Hospitals. He received his BS in pre-medicine from The Pennsylvania State University, his certificate in physical therapy from Duke University, and his master’s of healthcare administration from Pfeiffer University. Mr. Roy has given multiple conference presentations on the topic of therapy in healthcare missions settings. He has personally taken 12 trips to serve at Tenwek Mission Hospital in Bomet, Kenya and has also served on a healthcare missions trip to Turkey. 

Tuberculosis (TB) is still among the leading causes of death among people living with HIV worldwide. Individuals with HIV are more susceptible to contracting TB due to a weakened immune system and most cases of TB either go undiagnosed, poorly managed or untreated. TB is preventable, curable and manageable among people living with HIV. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to address the co-infection of HIV and TB. Weaknesses in healthcare systems contribute to the poor quality of HIV/TB care. In HIV/TB care, there is a need for timely diagnosis, effective treatment and prevention of both diseases. Improving HIV/TB care would improve the quality of life and reduce the burden on the public health systems in areas with high prevalence.

1. Objectives:
   Explain the relationship between HIV and TB. 
2. Identify key concepts in HIV/TB care. 
3. Identify healthcare disparities associated with the HIV/TB care. 

Citations:

Improving cascade outcomes for active TB: A global systematic review and meta-analysis of TB interventions. Marley G, Zou X, Nie J, et al. Improving cascade outcomes for active TB: A global systematic review and meta-analysis of TB interventions. PLoS Medicine. 2023;20(1):e1004091. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004091

Quality of TB care among people living with HIV: Gaps and solutions. Naidoo K, Gengiah S, Singh S, Stillo J, Padayatchi N. Quality of TB care among people living with HIV: Gaps and solutions. Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases. 2019;17:100122. doi:10.1016/j.jctube.2019.100122 

WHO Goals and Beyond: Managing HIV/TB Co-infection in South Africa. Olivier C, Luies L. WHO goals and beyond: Managing HIV/TB co-infection in South Africa. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine. 2023;5(1). doi:10.1007/s42399-023-01568-z 

Addressing TB-related mortality in adults living with HIV: a review of the challenges and potential solutions. Sullivan A, Nathavitharana RR. Addressing TB-related mortality in adults living with HIV: a review of the challenges and potential solutions. Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease. 2022;9:204993612210841. doi:10.1177/20499361221084163 

HIV-associated tuberculosis. Hamada Y, Getahun H, Tadesse BT, Ford N. HIV-associated tuberculosis. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 2021;32(9):780-790. doi:10.1177/0956462421992257 

Rebecca Martha is currently pursuing her MPH in epidemiology at Liberty University. She received her medical degree from Makerere University in Uganda. While in medical school, she got the opportunity to work at the hospital level in Kalisizo & Rakai district where HIV/AIDS initially emerged in Uganda and remains a rampant problem. Following her graduation from medical school, she worked as general practitioner with a focus on pediatrics and neonatology at St. Francis hospital Nsambya. Dr. Nantale later evolved into the public health sector under Africa Humanitarian Action, the health implementing partner for UNHCR in Uganda for refugees at urban and tertiary level. She has a vast knowledge and exposure in the management of HIV/TB in resource limited settings.