Since 2006, patients from Guam have been traveling regularly to Cedars-Sinai for high-quality healthcare. Between 2012 and 2019, the Cedars-Sinai International team hosted several patient receptions in Guam to engage former patients. In August, after a five-year hiatus, the Cedars-Sinai International team hosted its first in-person patient reception in Guam since the pandemic. The international team was happy to re-establish its in-person receptions in Guam, both to remind patients of the top-notch care that they received at Cedars-Sinai, and to see how well former patients are doing after treatment.

“The goal was to meet with our grateful patients and reconnect with them, letting them know we’re always here for them,” said Yiming Yuan, Project Manager for Cedars-Sinai International.

The reception for former patients took place during a two-day medical conference that was held in Tamuning, Guam, sponsored by Cedars-Sinai and the Guam Medical Association. About 130 professionals attended the medical conference, and 80 people attended the patient reception. The youngest patient in attendance was 7, and the oldest was over 80.

“The patient reception was a valuable reminder to patients of the quality care they received at Cedars-Sinai,” said Donna Bias, RN, associate director of patient services for Cedars-Sinai International.“ Our patients from Guam are strongly influenced by word of mouth, so our former patients may be inclined to recommend us to friends or relatives after they attend the reception.”

For nearly two decades, Bias has worked closely with physicians, insurance companies and patients from Guam, building strong relationships that have led to a steady stream of patients.

“A lot of doctors in Guam refer patients to Cedars-Sinai regularly,” Bias said. “It’s a small island, so they don’t always have access to specialty care there. Our providers perform everything from eye surgery to open-heart surgery to colon or thyroid or uterine cancer, and more.”

Bias and her team serve as patient liaisons. They pair each visiting patient with the ideal physician for a consult, coordinate with insurance companies for authorizations and arrange appointments. Highly coordinated, efficient scheduling is essential because of the expense in traveling from Guam to the mainland prohibits multiple visits.

“We coordinate their care so they can have a consult, pre-op clearance and surgery all within the same week” Bias said.

At the medical conference, three Cedars-Sinai physicians gave keynote speeches and had opportunities to meet with former patients and local physicians.

“When doctors in Guam attend a conference, they may be able to network with the Cedars-Sinai doctor that they’ve referred many patients to, which adds a new dimension to the professional relationship,” Bias said.

Margaret Liang, MD, a gynecologic oncologist, reconnected with former patients and met obstetrician Thomas Shieh, MD, director of the Guam Medical Association, who often refers patients to Cedars-Sinai.

Allen Ho, MD, an otolaryngologist and director of Cedars-Sinai’s Head and Neck Cancer Program, met with former patients as well.

“That was meaningful for the doctors, to see how well their patients were doing,” Bias said. “It was also really special for the patients, who got to speak with, and have their picture taken with, their doctor outside the hospital setting.”