The Future of Cost-Efficient Quality Healthcare
Dr. Gaby Iskander, a Critical Care Surgical Specialist at Valleywise Health, found a passion for working with underserved patients after graduating from medical school in Cairo, Egypt. During his residency, he volunteered at a local church, where he provided care to underprivileged and low-income people.
“As a young physician, I saw how much these patients needed help,” said Dr. Iskander. “They were dependent, vulnerable and just wanted someone to take care of them, whether they had insurance or not. The physicians who volunteered at these clinics provided excellent care and I wanted to work alongside them and relieve some of the patients’ suffering. That’s how I knew I wanted to be in the medical field and treat the underserved population.”
Nearly thirty years later, Dr. Iskander is still providing care to people in need. He also instills the same type of care, compassion, and dedication in the next generation of physicians, including medical students, residents, and fellows at Valleywise Health.
“I chose to be in community healthcare because I wanted to be part of an organization where my main priority is taking care of a patient as a whole without looking at their insurance status,” he said.
“We take care of each patient the same way we would take care of our own family,” Dr. Iskander concluded. “The way I see it is that any person coming through the door of this hospital has the right to quality care. We don’t look at their status, we don’t look at their insurance card and we don’t look at their pocketbooks. My job is to take care of every patient we encounter, no exceptions.”
Over the years, Dr. Iskander has been at the forefront of developing a cost-efficient care model that provides the same high-quality care offered in other systems at less cost to the hospital and more efficiency.
“I strive to teach the residents to do the most with the least,” he said. “In today’s healthcare climate, it is essential that we practice in a cost-efficient manner but still provide the same excellent care.”
According to Dr. Iskander, the majority of physicians at Valleywise Health are there because they want to take care of patients, not because they want to become wealthy.
“Our doctors are not under pressure to see a certain number of insured patients in order to satisfy the budget,” he said. “This doesn’t mean that we should not be financially astute, responsible and able to support the hospital’s mission. However, our clinicians are here to serve a vulnerable population that would not receive care elsewhere. That means something to us.”
“A healthier community reflects positively on the whole city. If diseases and illnesses are not properly managed, the health of the whole community is in jeopardy,” said Dr. Iskander. “An investment in Valleywise Health is an investment in the community as a whole,” he concluded.
