[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”3689″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]By El Nuevo Día
https://www.pressreader.com/puerto-rico/el-nuevo-dia1/20191231/281998969377261
The Puerto Rico Health Justice Center of the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine received a grant from the Intellectus Foundation to develop “Time’s Up for Physicians: Ask”.
The project responds to the need of digging deeper in the education on the medical approach in the management of patients who are victims of sexual violence, to avoid revictimization and address the recognized risks of becoming ill among people who have been exposed to events of violence.
The funds granted by Intellectus, a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life through education and prevention, will be used to impact medical professionals with the aim of strengthening interventions sensitive to the experience of trauma. In a study conducted by Dr. Linda Laras, forensic gynecologist and director of the Centro Salud Justicia, only 31 out of 140 (22%) of the patients reported that their doctors asked them about experiences of violence in their life.
The Centro Salud Justicia will develop a continuing education curriculum and provide comprehensive training on the topic of sexual violence for physicians across the island. Among the topics that will be worked on are: the impact of sexual violence on the health of the victims / survivors; how to conduct a forensic medical evaluation; what to do when sexual violence is suspected but has not been disclosed; what to do when the patient makes the disclosure; and about different services available for referrals.
The curriculum will combine online education with classroom education for medical personnel. She will also work to create a network of professionals to serve as consultants. “This project will be linked to the SAFE Hospital Project, which has nine committed and volunteer hospitals, through which they educate emergency room doctors for a better forensic medical evaluation and with the 24/7 Help and Orientation Line that attends calls and text messages at 787-337-3737” stated Dr. Laras. “We appreciate the contribution of the Intellectus Foundation and the trust placed in our center to develop this project, which we hope will impact both the medical profession in the country and the services offered to survivors of sexual violence,” said the forensic gynecologist who highlighted that “the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine has a commitment to develop professionals in the knowledgeable in the identification and management of violence as a health problem”. For more information, call 787-743-3038, extention 3210 or visit their page on Facebook.
Published on: Dec 31st, 2019[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
