December 2007

When PAMF Fremont Center family medicine physician Scott Kehl, M.D, took a 10-day trip to San Miguel, El Salvador this summer to provide medical care to poor and underserved populations, he didn’t go alone – his entire family went along to help.

The Kehl family – including Dr. Kehl’s wife and two teenage daughters – traveled to San Miguel as part of a 45-member volunteer team that included physicians, dentists, and other medical and support staff who provided care to up to 800 patients a day. The team also transported donated medications and wheelchairs, as well as approximately 4,000 pairs of eyeglasses and sunglasses, to needy local residents.

Because they had limited medical resources and equipment, Dr. Kehl and his team focused on educating patients about their health, as many had high blood pressure and diabetes. While patients waited to see a physician, a team nurse who spoke Spanish held presentations on good health habits and hygiene.

"Instead of handing out large supplies of medication that would eventually run out, I encouraged these patients to lose weight, adopt a low-salt diet and decrease stress in their lives, if possible, which is more effective in improving their health in the long term," he said.

The Kehls gained so much from their time in El Salvador that they plan to return to another area of the country next year. Dr. Kehl said the most rewarding part of the trip was being able to "connect with patients, show them that I understood the hardships of their lives and offer them spiritual comfort."