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Ukrainian “Hospital of Hope” Delegation Visits Children’s

As Children’s continues to build its national and international reputation, pediatric health care leaders from around the world are reaching out to our physicians and administrators for advice as they grow and develop pediatric programs. Last week, five visitors came all the way from Ukraine to learn from our experience as they prepare to build a state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Kiev.

Their visit is part of a broader Ukrainian government-sponsored initiative to improve health care for children, in part through partnerships between hospitals in Ukraine and the United States.

The team of physicians, administrators and construction experts came to see our facilities as an example of how to design and run a children’s hospital. They toured the operating rooms, Ambulatory Care Building, Hematology/Oncology unit and the NICU to understand what would be important to consider in terms of space and equipment when they design similar facilities.

During the tour, with the assistance of Ilya Berner from Interpreter Services, the group asked many questions ranging from how many beds were in each unit to how the Omnicell units are used to dispense supplies. They also inquired about our plans for expansion, showing interest in how Children’s makes plans to grow in order to meet the projected demand in the community.

Children’s physicians and administrators welcomed the opportunity to share their expertise with our guests.

“We must be advocates for improving children's health, not just in our region but on a worldwide basis,” said Dr. Sandy Melzer, vice president, Strategic Planning and Business Development. “Despite very challenging economic circumstances, the Ukrainian government is taking a bold step in planning a new national children's hospital, and we are pleased to assist and support their efforts to achieve their goals to improve child health in Ukraine.”

As they prepare for this ambitious project, the visitors were also interested in philanthropy at Children’s. They met with Doug Picha, executive director, Children’s Foundation to learn about our experience.

“The Ukrainian team needs US$150 million to build the hospital,” explains Doug. “Fundraising is extremely challenging because they are transitioning from a difficult time in their history and the tradition of philanthropy has eroded. At Children’s, there is a 100-year tradition of giving and everyone understands that we wouldn’t exist, let alone flourish, without generous community support. However, despite the challenges our visitors face, I found the meeting very hopeful and promising. This is the start of a dialogue we hope to continue.”

The visit was marked by the warmth shown by both the visitors and our staff. When our guests first walked into the Anna Clise Board Room, Hanna Stefankiv, a Dietary staff member from Ukraine, was waiting to welcome them. Hannah wore a traditional blouse and brought in a table runner with Ukrainian embroidery, a symbolic bowl of salt and a loaf of braided bread she baked at home the night before. Our guests were overwhelmed by her thoughtful gesture, which set the tone for the whole visit.

The Ukrainian delegation expressed their deep gratitude for the visit and a desire for further interactions with Children’s as they continue their planning. “I have been to the U.S. many times, and this hospital is really a top hospital – the best we’ve ever seen,” said Dr. Vira Pavlyuk, director of the Hospital to Hospital Program with the Ukraine 3000 Foundation.

Updated on October 16, 2006 by Kim Arthur