About The Event
200+
Patients Scanned
ASE members continue to advance medical practice and offer assistance to the underserved around the world! Jose Banchs, MD, FASE, led a team of volunteers on a self-organized global health outreach event to Hue Central Hospital in Hue, Vietnam.
Highlights
Visionary Medical Outreach and Leadership
Dr. Jose Banchs, inspired by a personal visit to Vietnam in 2008, spearheaded a self-organized global health outreach event through the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). His goal was to bring Hand Carried Cardiac Ultrasound (HCU) technology and expertise to underserved populations in Vietnam, particularly through Hue Central Hospital (HCH), a major referral center with a strong cardiovascular program.
Collaborative Planning and Execution
The event was a collaborative effort involving ASE volunteers, HCH leadership, and support from ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. (which loaned six ultrasound systems). Despite limited funding, the ASE Foundation provided travel support for the two sonographers and pediatric fellow team members. The team conducted lectures, clinical training, and hands-on echocardiography in both hospital and rural settings, emphasizing sustainable impact and knowledge sharing.
Rural Outreach and Impact
The team extended their work to village health centers, where they scanned over 200 patients at 3 village health centers. Their approach prioritized high-quality diagnostics and immediate care planning for critical cases. This outreach addressed the significant healthcare access gap in rural Vietnam and demonstrated the power of portable technology and international collaboration in global health.
"Real Time" Report Generation
When scanning at the village health centers, the team did not have access to a web-based reporting system. Therefore, they set up workflow into two “tag-teams”: a sonographer scanned and a physicians generated an “over the shoulder” report which was then given to the treating cardiologist. These reports were on carbon copy paper and all images were saved on “flash drives” so that reports and images could be later reviewed for quality improvement purposes.
Participants & Collaborators
The volunteer team consisted of 6 ASE sonographers and physicians and 2 non-member participants. Translation services and additional on-site support were provided by accompanying family members, as well as colleagues from Hue Central Hospital. The expected long-term, residual impact of this event is a deepening relationship with a potential long-term partner in Vietnam, advanced training for attendees in Vietnam, improved patient care in rural areas, cultural and educational exchange, and a unique volunteer opportunity for ASE members.
Team Leaders
Jose Banchs, MD, FASE
Team Members
Yen Bui, MD
James N. Kirkpatrick, MD, FASE
Thanh Kirkpatrick, MD
Joan Main, RDCS, MBA, FASE
Tu Nguyen
Liza Sanchez, RCS, FASE
Nova Sprague, BS, RDCS
Partners In Care
The team partnered with Hue Central Hospital and ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc.
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