Description:

Petite Rivière Health Center

Located in rural Petite Rivière, the center provides medical care and dispenses medications to rural villagers who lacked access to basic health care services. While initially free of charge, based on community input the clinic now charges a nominal fee (~$0.25) for clinic visits which covers the visit, all lab tests and medications. All proceeds from clinical fees are managed by the clinic staff for use at their discretion to support needed services at the health center not otherwise in the budget. The center is staffed full-time by a nurse, Miglese Boudeau, a part time clinic and outreach nurse, Anthonyne Boudeau, community health worker, Valder Labady and manager/interpreter/medical assistant, John Pele Charite. Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, dentists, psychologists and other staff rotate through the center for 1-2 weeks every 2-4 weeks. The clinic currently serves about 600 patients a month in addition to public health programing and outreach clinics at local schools.

Educational Program

The Rasin Foundation is working to create educational opportunities for exchanges of expertise among health care providers and students around the world and health care professionals and students in Haiti.

Haitian Creole, Cultural Immersion and Cross-Cultural Health Care

The Cross-Cultural Health Care Rotation seeks to provide an opportunity for service for medical students, nursing students, mid-level practitioners and practicing professionals in helping to deliver health care at the Rasin Foundation’s medical clinic in Leogane, Haiti.
This program enables the participants to develop a deeper understanding of the determinants of health in a semi-rural community, master the art of history and physical exam as the most accurate method of formulating a differential diagnosis in resource limited settings, initiate public health interventions while developing competency in the Haitian culture. Opportunities also exist for the sharing of knowledge with local health care practitioners through lectures and workshops. In addition, there will be site visits to local hospitals, schools and with spiritual leaders.
The Cross-Cultural program is directed by Dr. Arielle Adrien, 3rd year clerkship site director and assistant professor of medicine at Tuft’s University School of Medicine. She is also board president of Rasin Foundation, a small Massachusetts based non-profit organization dedicated to improving rural health in Haiti. Co-Director is Jill Hallisey NP MSN also a board member.

Organizational Base: Milton, Massachusetts

Other Programs: Education