Ideas into Action: Bridging Internationalization and Public Health
Following the success of the first public health delegation to Taiwan in 2006, Duke’s Policy and Organizational Management Program (POMP) was asked by the Department of Health of Taiwan (DOH) to design and lead a second U.S. delegation in July, 2007.
This joint effort brought health leaders and professionals of the two countries into direct dialogue on current challenges and emerging concerns. “Public health issues are better managed with global collaboration and understanding,” asserted Dr. Judith Monroe, Indiana State Health Commissioner, one of the seven delegation members. In addition to a two-day symposium on “Embracing Changes and Creating Success in Public Health” that drew more than 200 senior health officials and professionals, another highlight of the executive development program was the roundtable moderated by DOH Deputy Minister Tsay-Jinn Chen. Under the theme of “Proactive Health Policies,” two dozen panelists and 60 invited guests discussed vaccination policy, long term care, and aging populations. Numerous agency visits, including a memorable trip to a rural senior daycare center operated by a local health bureau, completed the one-week exchange. The U.S. delegates applauded the visibility of Taiwan’s health promotion and disease prevention throughout the country and found the well developed National Health Insurance system—available to all citizens—“inspirational.” Both parties were energized by and appreciated the opportunity to develop new relationships with another public health system that shares many of the same goals and challenges.
“It truly was a profound experience…. [Our international colleagues] were so knowledgeable and professionally engaging,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, also a delegation member. Duke’s POMP led the overall planning, organization, and facilitation of the program to set the stage for an ongoing exchange among the counterparts and to ensure that the objectives of each presentation and session were achieved. “This visit was undoubtedly the most beneficial interaction with other governments I have experienced. Every facet of the journey was skillfully designed and carefully choreographed to allow for the mutual exchange of ideas and reciprocal learning,” described Dr. Leslie Beitsch, Director of Medicine and Public Health at the Florida State University and former Oklahoma State Health Commissioner. Other delegates included Dr. Calvin Johnson, Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Dr. Lisa Waddell, Deputy Commissioner of Health of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, as well as Dr. Pikuei Tu and Dr. Cheryl Lin, directors of POMP.
The Policy and Organizational Management Program at Duke specializes in customized executive training and interdisciplinary research for governments, private enterprises, and educational institutes around the world. The creative and comprehensive integration of diverse disciplines and methodologies in teaching, research, exchange, and practice is a distinguishing feature of the program. POMP is affiliated with DUCIS and located at JHFC on Duke’s central campus.
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