John Snow, Inc

John Snow, Inc.
Privately held
Key people
 Joel Lamstein
(CEO) & (president)
Website www.jsi.com

John Snow, Inc. (JSI) is a public health research and consulting firm in the United States and around the world. Named after the English physician John Snow, JSI, with its nonprofit partner JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., provides technical and managerial assistance to public health programs worldwide. JSI is affiliated with the Russia Institute for Family Health, JSI Brasil, Instituto Promundo, and World Education, Inc.

JSI was established in 1978.

Activities

Through collaborating with local partners, JSI assists countries, governments, communities, families, and individuals to develop their own skills and identify solutions that meet their public health needs. JSI works to improve access to and quality of health care through management assistance, education, information and training. JSI conducts research and provides technical assistance to enable agencies and health professionals to address the needs of families they serve, especially the poor and underserved.

JSI’s work is centered on the following technical areas:

On January 8, 2010, as Secretary of State Clinton spoke on the 15th anniversary of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), JSI president, Joel Lamstein, appeared as a guest blogger in the Huffington Post. The article, "Re-Discovering U.S. Leadership: An Unlikely Contender,"[1] highlights issues facing woman around the world—in particular refugees and those displaced—as Secretary Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. government’s support for universal access to reproductive health. Lamstein wrote, "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will emphasize the U.S.'s commitment to advancing reproductive health worldwide. There will be strong words and very good intentions. However, what is needed is strong action and the political will to do what it takes to save lives and strengthen communities around the world."

JSI is a managing partner in the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) project, which is funded by the US government's PEPFAR program. PRI's news radio show The World featured a story on the 8000-mile journey that antiretroviral (ARV) medication takes from factory to the consumer. Titled "Delivering AIDS Drugs: The Long Journey" and reported by David Baron, the medication is followed from its point of manufacture in India, to the remote village of Grabo in Côte d'Ivoire, where a woman named Grace is anxiously awaiting its arrival. SCMS helps get essential, life-saving medication to people in developing countries who live with AIDS.[2]

JSI conducted a study of infections in Massachusetts hospitals, "Hospital Staffing and Health Care-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review of the Literature"[3] in the October 2008 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases (2008; 47:937-44). The article is part of the evidence review that the JSI team has carried out for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Healthcare-Associated Infection project. The efforts are focused on eliminating preventable infections through application of clinical 'best practices' and other incentives across Massachusetts hospitals.

JSI staff co-authored an article in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice on the use of computer modeling in emergency preparedness.[4]

In Connecticut, as the state recognized the need to adopt modern information technology in medical-records management, it turned to JSI to assist with developing a state-wide plan to phase in a standardized electronic system for the state's doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers to use in creating, storing, and exchanging medical records. The plan was submitted to the Connecticut legislature for review by the state's lawmakers.[5]

History

JSI was founded in 1978, by Joel Lamstein and Bert Hirshhorn. Since then JSI has implemented projects in more than 100 countries. JSI is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and operates from eight U.S. and 86 international offices, with more than 525 U.S.-based staff, and 1500 host country national field-based staff across five continents.

Fellowships

Since 2001, JSI has funded the Mabelle Arole Fellowship, which it founded in collaboration with the American Medical Student Association in honor of Dr. Mabelle Arole. The fellowship is named in memory of her dedication to the Jamkhed, India community and her wisdom to work with its members to determine what must be done and how to achieve improved child and maternal health status. This award is given annually to a recent college graduate to study community-based primary health care in Jamkhed.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Re-Discovering U.S. Leadership: An Unlikely Contender", January 8, 2010. Accessed 7-23-2011
  2. ↑ "Delivering AIDS Drugs: The Long Journey"
  3. ↑ "Hospital Staffing and Health Care-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review of the Literature", Accessed: 7-23-2011
  4. ↑ Use of Computer Modeling for Emergency Preparedness Functions by Local and State Health Officials: A Needs Assessment, Accessed 7-23-2011.
  5. ↑ Department of Public Health Releases State Health Information Technology Plan, July 17, 2009. Accessed 7-23-2011.
  6. ↑ Jamkhed Fellowship information, accessed 7-23-2011.

External links