SonoSite Assists in Haiti Earthquake Response Efforts

Almost immediately after the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, SonoSite began receiving calls from physicians and disaster-relief organizations asking for donations and loans of SonoSite systems to take to Haiti; we fulfilled, and continue to fulfill, as many of the requests as possible. Built to military specification, our equipment is singularly designed to perform in exactly this kind of demanding environment.

Physicians, nurses, emergency response personnel, and volunteers rushed to the aid of the Haitian people to meet their fundamental and on-going needs—shelter, food, water, and medical care. SonoSite is honored to participate in this international relief effort and to help our system users and their colleagues who selflessly risked their own safety and comfort to care for those in need.

One of our customers, Dr. Ryan Jense, an anesthesiologist with the University of Washington School of Medicine and Global Health, had this to say:

“I understand the swamped feeling about the Haitian devastation…. From a professional perspective, it’s quite the testament to the versatility and utility of your product. I have had anesthesia providers from other states asking me how to get a hold of a SonoSite for Haiti. I wouldn’t want to leave home on an anesthesia mission without it. (I’m very serious about that.) I know the global community is benefitting from your kindness.”
Dr. Ryan Jense

Another SonoSite customer, Dr. Sachita Shah, an emergency medicine physician with Rhode Island Hospital and Partners in Health, recently wrote the following about her experience in Haiti:

“Our first couple of days at the hospital were shocking and difficult, and we found around 200 patients laying on the floors of the wards, 40 with urgent operations needed for open fractures and festering wounds and a dirty non-functional operating room. Over the first two days, we created order from this chaos, despite daily issues with security and mobs; lack of water, food, and supplies; missing doctors and nurses from the Haitian staff; and no communication with the outside world. The OR was cleaned and stocked, a recovery area was created from a stock room, stretchers were cleaned and built, and patients were laid on mattresses, identified, examined, comforted…We started a triage system to save lives, then limbs, then fix fractures that were stable and clean non-life threatening wounds, and do follow up care.”
Dr. Sachita Shah

Dr. Shahs’ account of her time in Haiti is available online.

“Partners In Health’s collaboration with SonoSite predates the recent earthquake in Haiti. Our medical facilities there and in Africa have benefited from past donations of SonoSite technology. However, the generous response from SonoSite in the aftermath of the disaster has been overwhelming and incredibly encouraging. The 180 and MicroMaxx units donated to Haiti will allow for faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment, and will ensure that our patients receive the sophisticated and dignified care they deserve. Our thanks go to everyone at SonoSite for their sustained engagement with PIH and with Haiti. We are grateful for your support and look forward to continuing to work together on Haiti’s long term recovery.”
Kathryn Kempton, Director of Procurement, Partners In Health

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SonoSite Assists in Haiti Earthquake Response Efforts

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