Transforming Healthcare in Honduras: A Visit to Legion Honduras
Located in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, Legion Honduras is a clinic that is making a big impact with limited resources. Legion Honduras offers essential healthcare services to underserved populations, including refugees, and operates a mobile medical brigade to serve communities in hard to reach areas. As one of Hikma Health's Care Innovation grantees, Legion Honduras has used the Hikma Health electronic health record (EHR) system to transform its ability to streamline operations and improve patient care.
Legion Honduras works at the intersection of healthcare and humanitarian aid, serving both local underserved populations and refugees traveling through Honduras. Their services are essential in a country that is a critical transit point for migrants fleeing violence, poverty, and instability.
Legion Honduras’ clinic operates three days a week, and their small team of two volunteer doctors, a receptionist, and a dentist work efficiently to treat as many patients as possible. Despite its limited size, the clinic has an outsized impact on its surrounding community.
Moving Beyond Paper Records
Before implementing the Hikma Health EHR system, the clinic faced significant challenges with paper-based records. Abner Laitano, the director of Legion Honduras, explained that with only one doctor and a receptionist managing a high volume of patients, tracking patient histories and ensuring continuity of care was difficult. This issue became even more challenging during medical brigades, where keeping accurate patient records was particularly difficult.
Abner turned to Hikma Health for a digital solution to integrate simply into the clinic’s workflow to streamline patient management and improve care delivery.
Shadowing Legion Honduras
As a Social Impact Fellow with Hikma Health, I (Talia Ghosheh) had the chance to visit the team at Legion Honduras to see how they are using the Hikma Health EHR system to transform their clinical practices and improve healthcare outcomes.
Upon arriving at Legion Honduras, the clinic’s efficient yet modest setup was apparent. The waiting area was filled with patients from diverse backgrounds, including many refugees and those who could not afford care elsewhere. Dr. Allison Hernandez, a dedicated young doctor, treats an average of 20 patients a day—up from 15 before the EHR system was implemented. In addition to providing medical care, Dr. Hernandez manages administrative tasks such as taking vitals, recording patient information, and dispensing medications. The added efficiency of the EHR system allows her to manage these responsibilities while seeing more patients each day.
The EHR system also allows Dr. Hernandez to track patient histories more effectively, ensuring that treatment plans are based on up-to-date information and consider previous visits. By transitioning to a digital system, Legion Honduras has been able to scale its operations, streamline patient intake, and reduce time spent on administrative tasks—enabling the team to focus more on patient care.
“This has accelerated our system. For example, if 20 patients come for a visit it’s easier to input their data and it had really helped the doctor-patient relationship since every time they come back I am familiar with their data. I know how old they are, I know why they came from their last visit and that really helps the doctor-patient relationship and really accelerates the pre-visit process.”
Medical Brigades: Expanding Access to Care
In addition to observing the clinic’s daily operations, the team participated in a medical brigade mission at a care facility for elderly individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The brigade provided free check-ups and treatment to residents who lacked access to affordable care. This mission marked the first time the team implemented the Hikma Health EHR system during a brigade, and the results were impressive.
In past missions, managing patient records in the field posed significant challenges, particularly when it came to ensuring continuity of care. However, with the EHR system the team could seamlessly track residents' medical histories, ensuring consistent care during future follow-up visits. This advancement is especially crucial in mobile medical settings, where patient records are at risk of being lost or overlooked. The integration of the EHR system significantly enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of the brigade, providing a more organized and reliable approach to patient care.
“You can count on Hikma Health to enable faster, more efficient, and extensive healthcare in order to know and address all the patients symptoms.”
Supporting Refugees in El Paraíso
One of the most impactful moments during the visit was joining Legion Honduras on a medical mission to the El Paraíso region, a critical entry point for migrants into Honduras. El Paraíso is home to a refugee camp that offers healthcare, shelter, and trauma support to displaced families.
Because the Hikma Health EHR system is uniquely tailored for low-resource settings, Legion Honduras will be able to transform how it is able to provide care in the refugee camp in El Paraíso. Unlike traditional systems, the EHR does not require an internet connection, making it an ideal solution for remote areas with limited connectivity. With the EHR system, healthcare providers can track the medical histories of refugees, ensuring continuity of care across different regions. This is particularly crucial for displaced populations, whose health needs are often urgent, complex, and require coordinated care.
A Shared Vision for Better Healthcare
The work with Legion Honduras highlights the transformative power of collaboration and innovation in addressing healthcare challenges. The Hikma Health EHR system has already had a significant impact, enabling the clinic to see more patients, streamline record management, and enhance the overall quality of care.
Despite operating with limited resources, Legion Honduras is making a profound difference in the lives of vulnerable populations. As Legion Honduras continues to expand its reach, Hikma Health’s technology will continue to play a critical role in further improving healthcare delivery. The ongoing efforts to innovate and adapt in resource-constrained settings are paving the way for more effective, accessible healthcare for those who need it most.
