Zimmer Biomet, Faith In Practice: Elevating Care and Spirits in Guatemala

Zimmer Biomet has arguably ridden on a wave of hard-won success over the past years. And now, in the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” they are raising others to new heights.

The company has announced a new partnership with Faith In Practice, a remarkable entity that provides surgical, medical, dental and educational programs in Guatemala.

Miles away from corporate Safe Harbor Statements are the thousands of people in this Central American country in desperate need of a medical safe harbor. Zimmer Biomet is giving it to them…because they have found the ultimate partner in this Houston-based non-profit organization.

Todd Davis, vice president and general manager of Global Knee Business at Zimmer Biomet, told OTW, “Two years ago we became inspired to seek out the perfect organization with which we could work to provide lasting assistance to those in need.”

“Our Global Knee team participated in an off-site leadership program and were inspired by our keynote speaker, Mick Ebeling, founder of Not Impossible Labs LLC, a one-of-a-kind, award winning technology incubator and content studio dedicated to changing the world through technology and story. Mick challenged us to use ‘technology for humanity.’ And had multiple stories about how ‘doing good is good business.’ We left this meeting committed to make a difference with our technology, total knee replacements.”

But a noble mission statement alone would not suffice.

“We were determined to locate an organization that had an established orthopedic mission whose work was repeatable, who had a secure way to warehouse inventory, as well as a firm commitment to a particular community,” says Davis. “We interviewed 20 organizations, made 6 mission trips and found a beacon of light when we met with the people at Faith In Practice. The group stood out for its long-established connection to the community and its sophisticated infrastructure that could even help patients in the event of an emergency.”

This level of involvement is new for the company, says Todd Davis. “In the past we have participated in many mission trips, but they were always one-off requests from a physician or group. We would send them implants, but that’s where our support ended. But since our new agreement involves stocking inventory in Guatemala and having our team members participate in the trips, this makes it more like adopting a village—we’re in it for the long haul.”

Medical providers from Faith In Practice will utilize Zimmer Biomet implants at the Las Obras Hospital in Antigua and Hilario Galindo Hospital in San Felipe, Retalhuleu, Guatemala.

The Logistics of Giving

Describing the system as “well-oiled,” Davis notes, “Faith In Practice not only has a network of patient advocates, but they have volunteers who accompany the patients, at no cost to the patients, from their remote villages to and from these two hospitals. As for the planning, it is superb. They even have homes near the clinics where family members can stay while their loved one is undergoing surgery. We have never encountered another mission organization with an infrastructure such as this.”

“They have a dedicated cadre of volunteers: 1,300 medical professionals and support personnel from around the world come to Guatemala, paying their own direct expenses. Each year, nearly 1,000 Guatemalan volunteers work beside Faith In Practice volunteers in this endeavor. Faith In Practice teams see more than 25,000 patients annually.”

The Upcoming Trip to Guatemala

So what is in store for these partners over the next few months? Davis says, “Our next trip is September 30-October 7. It will be our fourth trip with the organization; at this point we have completed the exploratory process, the inventory is in country and all we have to do initially is just show up.”

“The beauty of this partnership experience is that we are establishing best practices for future such relationships. To their great credit, Faith In Practice is willing to help other nonprofit medical missions in terms of how they set up their infrastructure. One such mentoring involves getting the supply chain right. Their warehouse is kept under surveillance, so we know the donations we are making will reach those for whom they are intended. This isn’t the case with the majority of medical mission trips.”

Outstanding Partnership

“This is an outstanding partnership of two organizations that are focused on the health of those in need in developing countries such as Guatemala,” said Brian S. Parsley, M.D., lead orthopedic surgeon and member of Faith In Practice’s board of directors. “Zimmer Biomet has been supportive of our medical mission work for many years, and this agreement will further our capacity to treat those patients in need and offer them an opportunity to walk comfortably, remain active and provide for their families. This partnership will allow our surgeons to reach out and help even more patients due to the availability of implants and equipment. Our surgeons are ecstatic about this relationship.”

Detailing the program’s recent evolution, the Rev. Linda McCarty, president and CEO of Faith In Practice, said, “Our program is able to provide a continuity of care in orthopedics, something that is rare in short term mission. With multiple orthopedic teams annually, the teams can stage surgeries, triage patients to match them with the best surgeon for their case, manage any complication that may arise, and ensure the best care possible for patients. In addition, with our commitment to continuity of care, when an amputation is required, we provide the patient with a new limb, including all the physical therapy and prosthetist services that are necessary for fitting.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Zimmer Biomet for making this commitment to serve those in great need in Guatemala. While Zimmer Biomet has always been generous in supporting medical volunteers who wish to serve those in need in developing nations, this new way of providing implants will leverage and expand its impact significantly, easing the burden on volunteer surgeons and providing better care for patients. We applaud Zimmer Biomet’s efforts and are honored to be its first partner in this new way of providing care to those who otherwise would have no access.”

For more information on the partnership between Zimmer Biomet and Faith in Practice, please contact Todd Davis at: todd.davis@zimmerbiomet.com