on planning and dreaming, part two. . .

The second question I asked my team at our planning meeting was this:

If in December of 2020 we haven’t done ______________________ it would be a travesty . . .

As we started talking, the energy in the room started building, and we realized we could dream for 1 year, but really, we wanted to dream for 10. . . so we changed the question, and said

If in December of 2025 and December 2030 we haven’t ______________________ it would be a travesty . . .

Our excitement may have changed the sentence a little, but you will see the heart behind it. I live and work with people who believe we can do impossible things, and rightly so.

After the night, I was talking to Caleb about it, and he said, “You, know, in 10 years, we are going to look back at this night and remember when we first said it could be.” So come along, and dream with us, as we turn these things into a reality. I have arranged in 1, 5, and 10 year dreams :).

1 YEAR

If we haven’t insured our satellites become more active and equipped.

If we haven’t put out what it is we do and people still do not know. (PUBLICATIONS FROM KIJABE)

If we haven’t gotten NHIF/universal health care to cater for our prems and prems in Kenya. (surfactant, exchanges, extreme prems)

If we haven’t solidified Needy Fund Processes in place and help to raise more funds for more patients as we provide emergency, critical, and specialized care.

If we haven’t eased and enabled NHIF enrollment processes for our most vulnerable patients. . .

If we haven’t established online resource for parents after discharge / during admissions. . .  KIJABE PEDIATRICS

If we haven’t found a way to seek out even more the most vulnerable – the refugee, the widow, the orphan.

If we have don’t have increased nursery numbers with more prems coming and growing and surviving.

If we haven’t followed up the babies born in Kijabe well.

If we haven’t built a pediatric resource center for Kijabe Hospital.

If we haven’t formalized organization of code boxes, CPAP, closet, resources. . . .

If we haven’t created NICU graduate clothing.

If we don’t follow up all of our admitted babies after discharge to make sure they continue to improve. . .

If we don’t build teamwork with the nurses and the peds consultants / COs through education. . . that we are in this together.

If we haven’t created a cardiac database for follow up and education.

If we haven’t made community outreach even more a priority.

If we don’t build subspecialty collaboration (cardiology, oncology, neonatology, neurology)

2-5 YEARS

If we haven’t completely defined and redefined ICU versus HDU criteria and care in Kenya

If we don’t have our own defined pediatric emergency department.

If we don’t have a completely full and staffed surgical NICU / PICU

If we don’t offer formal psychological support / counseling for our families/patients.

If we don’t make sure our nursery becomes a NICU – and Kijabe Naivasha is not brought to the place to where we are now at Kijabe Main. . .

If we don’t ensure everyone here become the staff and trainers at professional schools and programs.

If we don’t become a regional referral center

If we don’t build a Robust community health program – be a medical home that goes out from Kijabe.

If we don’t feel that true Multidisciplinary meetings are the norm.

If we don’t have representation in the government so when they are making protocols we are involved.

If we don’t build a dedicated oncology ward.

5-10 YEARS

If we are not able to treat any oncologic process that comes to our door.

If we are not the center of excellence for care of developmental delay and the most vulnerable in Kenya.

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The crazy thing, is this meeting was 2 1/2 weeks ago, and already things are moving. We have rearranged to staff our follow up clinics completely and arranged a follow up clinic for oncology, ICU graduates and NICU graduates. We have taken our first trip to a refugee camp on the northern border with plans to go every three months going forward. . . The Needy Fund committee was formed and has met twice. We have identified what we are going to write up to publish and gotten an ISBN for our Kijabe protocols. We have designed some onesies for our NICU graduates. We have assigned the people to build the Pediatrics website and placed the first shelf for our pediatric resource center upstairs in the hospital.

Two weeks. . . and all of these things are moving. This, really, is the beginning of dreaming. Speaking it. Putting it on paper. Drawing together in dreams of who we are and who we want to be not just next month, but a decade from now.

Next week, we hit 5 years in Kijabe. I am amazed and astounded at how many things we have accomplished in the last half a decade and how far we have come. I have no doubt this is just the beginning of the things that Kijabe Pediatrics is going to be in the next five years, and I am so grateful that I get to play a part. . .