Newsletter: February 2022

by | Jun 23, 2023 | Newsletters

Dear colleagues and friends

I hope you are all having a safe and restful Superbowl Sunday (May the most deserving team win!). Please find below our AAMA January newsletter:

  • The AAMA will be announcing the availability of 2 grants; one for $10,000 and the second for $5,000. These grants will be open to any individual, group, or NGO (Armenian or Odar) who are working on, or are interested in developing, health care projects in Armenia or Artsakh. Collaborations are encouraged. The full announcement and application / forms will be released soon. 
  • We are expecting Anush Sahakian to return back from Armenia and Artsakh for feedback on our proposed collaboration with the Tufenkian foundation to establish the primary health care program in Artsakh, and specifically in Martuni.
  • We are working on reviving the US-based Armenian medical student elective rotations in Armenia. In collaboration with Dick Babayan from the BU, we are identifying medical centers, and academic physicians in Armenia to help organize those rotations. Interested med students are encouraged to reach out to me or the AAMA for more details. 
  • Rosalynn Nazarian, our AAMA vice president, is leading a committee to develop a one-day zoom seminar open to all the public on the topic of Armenian Women and Professional Development. Date, time and details to follow, but likely sometime in May or June.
  • We will have an AAMA Happy Hour on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 6:30pm. Location: Mex Restaurant; 500 Technology Square; Cambridge, MA 02139. The restaurant is accessible by public transit. There is street or garage parking nearby. A flyer will follow. Please make an extra effort to join us and bring your loved ones with you to socialize, network, and learn about mentorship opportunities.
  • The AAMA continues to explore opportunities to collaborate with COAF both in the Armenian Marzes or in Artsakh to improve population health care and education in the region.
  • We have made some progress with organizing the AAMA-sponsored health fair. This will be a collaboration with Mount Auburn Hospital, Lahey, and the town of Watertown and will take place at ACEC. Date and time coming up sometime in May.
  • The AAMA continues to support Dynamed (clinical educational tool for clinicians) at the Armenian National Medical Library. Over the past year, there were a total of 1,504 search clicks with a total of 1,102 full-text requests. This coming year’s renewal of Dynamed is $4,100. All those interested in sponsoring this vital educational tool for our colleagues in Armenia are encouraged to contribute to the AAMA. As usual, your donations will be tax-deductible.
  • Pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible.
  • If you shop on Amazon, the AAMA is registered with the Amazon Smile program. Choose AAMA as your non-profit organization and a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to us.

With respect

Vatche’

Newsletter: January 2022

by | Jun 23, 2023 | Newsletters

Dear colleagues and friends

I hope you all had a peaceful, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. Please find below our AAMA January newsletter:

  • A big thank you to all who responded with your pledges to the AAMA end of the year fundraising campaign. We received close to $50,000 of donations. This will help us continue with our various ongoing projects and plan new projects both in Armenia / Artsakh and New England. We cannot do all the work we do without your financial support. With gratitude!
  • One of our top priorities this year is finalize the preparations of the HBO infrastructure, put the machines to work, and operationalize the HBO programs both in Yerevan and Artsakh.
  • A second priority is to establish the primary health care program in Artsakh, and specifically in Martuni, in collaboration with the Tufenkian foundation.
  • Along the same lines, the AAMA has learned that COAF is considering expansion into Artsakh. We will continue to explore opportunities to collaborate with COAF both in the Armenian Marzes or in Artsakh to improve population health care and education in the region.
  • The AAMA sponsored 40Ft container from Partners in World Health with medical supplies worth over $450,000 has now reached its final destination. All medical supplies have been delivered to the following two hospitals in Armenia: Sourp Asdvadzamayr and the Traumatology and Orthopedics Center.
  • The AAMA student scholarship program has awarded a $2,000 scholarship to a medical student and two $1,500 scholarships to allied health care students. The scholarship recipients are Dikran Raffi Balian, Lilit Derkevorkian, and Grace DerBoghossian. Congratulations to all!
  • The AAMA grant program will soon be announcing two small grant opportunities for individuals or non-profits interested in doing health-care related projects in Armenia or Artsakh to apply to. One grant will offer $10,000 and the second will offer $5,000.
  • Keep on the look-out for the AAMA sponsored health fair. This will be a collaboration with Mount Auburn Hospital and will take place at ACEC. Date and time coming up sometime in May.
  • Vicken Babikian, an AAMA board member, in collaboration with the Armenia NIH, the Armenia Stroke Council, and Dr Zarmine Naccashian and her nursing group from Los Angeles has organized a stroke nurse educational course that is being given over 4 Saturdays in January for nurses in Armenia. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Vicken.
  • The AAMA has facilitated the donation of $2,000 USD to Arevik Children’s hospital in Stepanakert (Artsakh) for the purchase of anti-epilepsy medications. This effort was made possible by Vicken Babikian and his Armenian Neurology physician group.
  • The AAMA continues to support UpToDate at Kanaker-Zeytun and Arabkir Hospitals, as well as the Mikaelyan institue.
  • Please visit our website at www.aamaboston.org and enjoy all the upgrades and new features that we have incorporated. For new or current members, we ask that you pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). This will give you access to other clinicians, volunteer opportunities, discounts on events, and other. Remember that the AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible. Most of your paid dues go to fund medical student and allied health student scholarships. We are also on FB, Instagram, and Twitter.
  • Another important reminder that we (the AAMA) are registered with the Amazon Smile program. Every time you purchase an item from Amazon, provided you choose AAMA as your non-profit from the Amazon Smile website, a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to AAMA. We now have over 230 members / friends on this mailing list. The dollars add up. If you have not already, please consider making use of this program while shopping on Amazon.
  • If any of you are interested in being more actively involved with any of the AAMA activities above, or should you have an idea / project you would like to undertake or a donation to make, please reach out to me and we will get you more involved and support you as best we can.

With respect

Vatche’

Newsletter: Halloween 2021

by | Jun 22, 2023 | Newsletters

Dear colleagues and friends

Please see below the latest updates on the AAMA activities for the past two weeks:

  • No updates on the HBO project. We are currently exploring the options of purchasing liquid oxygen tanks (Dewars) from different sources to supply the machines with therapeutic oxygen.    
  • The AAMA is working with the Tufenkian Foundation, Carolann Najarian, and Anush Sahakian (who is consulting for the Artsakh MOH) to establish a program of primary health care (and training the locals) in Martuni, Artsakh. Nick Akgulian, MD (from the US) will be leading the mission and will likely be assisted by a physician from Armenia.
  • Anush Sahakian, from the AAMA, and Aram Adourian, from the Armenian biotech group, will be giving a COVID vaccine zoom webinar that is geared to teachers and educators in Armenia (Date and time forthcoming).
  • AAMA has donated 5K to the ICPD (International Center for Professional Development) led by Rafi Avetisian, MD. This center’s task is to promote, develop, and administer high standard and evidence-based conferences and educational programs for Armenian physicians and health care workers.
  • The Face of Angel laser project for our wounded Armenian soldiers that the AAMA is supporting in part with a $20,000 grant is moving forward with a big announcement expected soon!
  • The deadline for the AAMA scholarship applications has been extended till 11/15/2021. All medical students and allied health students are encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more details: https://aamaboston.org/scholarship/
  • The AAMA will soon be announcing a small grant program for individuals or non-profits interested in doing health-care related projects in Armenia or Artsakh to apply to.
  • The virtual AMIC world congress will take place on November 6 and 7. The AAMA is one of the sponsors of the event and we will be given a 10 minute on Sunday November 7 (time to be determined) to highlight our association and the work we do. Please see the link below for more information: http://amicnow.org/index.php
  • We are planning an Armenian Christmas party (brunch or dinner) in collaboration with the Armenian Pharmacy Association the weekend of January 6/7 (More details forthcoming)
  • Armineh Mirzabegian is leading a virtual educational interactive session with physicians in Armenia as part of the FAR CME program in December. The topic to be addressed will be “Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Primary Prevention Strategies”. Through case presentations, the presenters will review screening strategies and primary prevention, through lifestyle change and treatment with emphasis on patient education and patient engagement. All members interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to Armineh.
  • The AAMA is exploring potential collaborations with COAF and Lorky Libaridian. Two areas of common interest include: (a) possibilities of sending US med students and residents to the COAF-run health clinics and medical centers for 3-4 weeks elective rotations; (b) AAMA and other diaspora specialty and subspecialty support for the COAF primary care providers by telehealth.
  • Please visit our website at www.aamaboston.org and enjoy all the upgrades and new features that we have incorporated. For new or current members, we ask that you pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). This will give you access to other clinicians, volunteer opportunities, discounts on events, and other. Remember that the AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible. Most of your paid dues go to fund medical student and allied health student scholarships. We are also on FB, Instagram, and Twitter.
  • Another important reminder that we (the AAMA) are registered with the Amazon Smile program. Every time you purchase an item from Amazon, provided you choose AAMA as your non-profit from the Amazon Smile website, a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to AAMA. We now have over 218 members / friends on this mailing list. The dollars add up. Please consider making use of this program while shopping on Amazon.
  • If any of you are interested in being more actively involved with any of the AAMA activities above, or should you have an idea / project you would like to undertake or a donation to make, please reach out to me and we will get you more involved and support you as best we can.

With respect

Vatche’

The information in this e-mail is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you believe this e-mail was sent to you in error and the e-mail contains patient information, please contact the Mass General Brigham Compliance HelpLine at http://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/complianceline . If the e-mail was sent to you in error but does not contain patient information, please contact the sender and properly dispose of the e-mail.

Please note that this e-mail is not secure (encrypted).  If you do not wish to continue communication over unencrypted e-mail, please notify the sender of this message immediately.  Continuing to send or respond to e-mail after receiving this message means you understand and accept this risk and wish to continue to communicate over unencrypted e-mail. 

Newsletter: 10/17/2021

by | Jun 22, 2023 | Newsletters

Dear colleagues and friends

Please see below the latest updates on the AAMA activities for the past three weeks:

  • The progress on establishing the infrastructure needs to make the 2 HBO machines operational is moving forward slowly. We are currently exploring the options of purchasing liquid oxygen tanks (Dewars) from different sources to supply the machines with therapeutic oxygen.    
  • Armineh Mirzabegian is leading a virtual educational interactive session with physicians in Armenia as part of the FAR CME program in December. The topic to be addressed will be “Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Primary Prevention Strategies”. Through case presentations, the presenters will review screening strategies and primary prevention, through lifestyle change and treatment with emphasis on patient education and patient engagement. All members interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to Armineh.
  • The AAMA is working on the job description, logistics, and planning to materialize the project of supporting the mission of a US trained primary care physician to establish a program of primary health care (and possibly training the locals) in the towns and villages of Artsakh. We are engaged in meetings with Tufenkian foundation and the Artsakh MOH.
  • The AAMA is exploring potential collaborations with COAF and Lorky Libaridian. Two areas of common interest include: (a) possibilities of sending US med students and residents to the COAF-run health clinics and medical centers for 3-4 weeks elective rotations; (b) AAMA and other diaspora specialty and subspecialty support for the COAF primary care providers by telehealth.
  • The deadline for the AAMA scholarship applications is around the corner (10/31/2021). All medical students and allied health students are encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more details: https://aamaboston.org/scholarship/
  • Our second C-arm donated by the AAMA has found its new home at the Traumatology and Orthopedics Hospital in Yerevan (see photo).
  • Our 40Ft AAMA container from Partners in World Health with medical supplies worth over $450,000 has arrived to Georgia on its way to Armenia.
  • AAMA will be exploring opportunities to more actively collaborate with our Armenian pharmacy colleagues in Boston.
  • Please visit our website at www.aamaboston.org and enjoy all the upgrades and new features that we have incorporated. For new or current members, we ask that you pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). This will give you access to other clinicians, volunteer opportunities, discounts on events, and other. Remember that the AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible. Most of your paid dues go to fund medical student and allied health student scholarships. We are also on FB, Instagram, and Twitter.
  • Another important reminder that we (the AAMA) are registered with the Amazon Smile program. Every time you purchase an item from Amazon, provided you choose AAMA as your non-profit from the Amazon Smile website, a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to AAMA. We now have over 218 members / friends on this mailing list. The dollars add up. Please consider making use of this program while shopping on Amazon.
  • If any of you are interested in being more actively involved with any of the AAMA activities above, or should you have an idea / project you would like to undertake or a donation to make, please reach out to me and we will get you more involved and support you as best we can.

With respect

Vatche’

The information in this e-mail is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you believe this e-mail was sent to you in error and the e-mail contains patient information, please contact the Mass General Brigham Compliance HelpLine at http://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/complianceline . If the e-mail was sent to you in error but does not contain patient information, please contact the sender and properly dispose of the e-mail.

Please note that this e-mail is not secure (encrypted).  If you do not wish to continue communication over unencrypted e-mail, please notify the sender of this message immediately.  Continuing to send or respond to e-mail after receiving this message means you understand and accept this risk and wish to continue to communicate over unencrypted e-mail. 

C-ArmDownload

Newsletter: 09/26/2021

by | Jun 22, 2023 | Newsletters

9-26-2021

Dear colleagues and friends

Please see below the latest updates on the AAMA activities for the past three weeks:

  • I recently heard from Ani Aprahamian from the Physics Institute in Armenia that most of the machinery for the oxygen generation project has been delivered from Russia. There remains the compressor (on its way) to complete the $650,000+ project. The AAMA funded about 1/3 of the cost. Once operational, Armenia will have more than enough capacity to generate oxygen for the entire country.
  • We recently had an advanced meeting with the US and Armenian HBO experts to put the final touches on the infrastructure needs to make the 2 HBO machines (one for Mikaelyan hospital in Armenia and the other for the Republican hospital in Artsakh) operational. I am hopeful the HBO program will be finally established before year’s end.    
  • The AAMA has identified an US trained primary care physician with many years of experience in mission work (including in Armenia) who is interested in traveling to Artsakh and offering primary health care (and possibly training the locals) in the towns and villages of Artsakh. We are engaged in meetings with Tufenkian foundation representatives in Armenia and Carolann Najarian with the goal of providing assistance to the limited availability of health care in Artsakh and its many villages. The Artsakh MOH is very receptive and eager to start the program and we are working on developing the job description.
  • The AAMA is exploring potential collaborations with COAF which has a significant presence in different Marzes in rural Armenia. Two areas of common interest include: (a) possibilities of sending US med students and residents to the COAF-run health clinics and medical centers for 3-4 weeks elective rotations; (b) AAMA and other diaspora specialty and subspecialty support for the COAF primary care providers by telehealth.
  • Our fall membership drive / happy hour that took place on Friday September 10 at Waltham Craft Food Hall was a big hit. We had about 45 AAMA members and friends, including a large contingent from our Armenian pharmacy colleagues attend. There was plenty of food, networking, and meeting new and old friends.
  • The deadline for the AAMA scholarship applications is around the corner (10/31/2021). All medical students and allied health students are encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more details: https://aamaboston.org/scholarship/
  • We are very close to making a decision for placement of the second C-arm donated by the AAMA. We are deliberating between one of two hospitals in Yerevan and will hopefully have a final decision soon.
  • We received confirmation from Gyumri medical center that one of the AAMA donated anesthesia machines has been received and is already being used for surgeries.
  • The Association of Healthcare and Assistance to Older People (AHAOP), an Armenian NGO focusing on geriatric care is holding a symposium in Armenia next week on geriatric care, and our own Armen Arslanian, past AAMA president, will be a key symposium speaker.
  • Please visit our website at www.aamaboston.org and enjoy all the upgrades and new features that we have incorporated. For new or current members, we ask that you pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). This will give you access to other clinicians, volunteer opportunities, discounts on events, and other. Remember that the AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible. Most of your paid dues go to fund medical student and allied health student scholarships. We are also on FB, Instagram, and Twitter.
  • Another important reminder that we (the AAMA) are registered with the Amazon Smile program. Every time you purchase an item from Amazon, provided you choose AAMA as your non-profit from the Amazon Smile website, a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to AAMA. We now have over 218 members / friends on this mailing list. The dollars add up. Please remember to make use of this program while shopping on Amazon.
  • The 1st Dr. Raffy Hovanessian International Digestive Disease Virtual Conference took place on September 11-12. This conference was made possible by the International Center for Professional Development (ICPD). AAMA is one of the ICPD donors. Our own AAMA board member, Raffi Karagozian, was one of the conference speakers / organizers.
  • If any of you are interested in being more actively involved with any of the AAMA activities above, or should you have an idea / project you would like to undertake or a donation to make, please reach out to me and we will get you more involved and support you as best we can.

With respect

Vatche’

The information in this e-mail is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you believe this e-mail was sent to you in error and the e-mail contains patient information, please contact the Mass General Brigham Compliance HelpLine at http://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/complianceline . If the e-mail was sent to you in error but does not contain patient information, please contact the sender and properly dispose of the e-mail.

Please note that this e-mail is not secure (encrypted).  If you do not wish to continue communication over unencrypted e-mail, please notify the sender of this message immediately.  Continuing to send or respond to e-mail after receiving this message means you understand and accept this risk and wish to continue to communicate over unencrypted e-mail.