LFHC Welcome's New Hospital Director

This month, LFHC welcomed a new Hospital Director, Dr. Robert Winokur. Dr. Robert has over 33 years of experience in pediatric emergency medicine in his home state of California. He took on a leadership role for over 20 years as a pediatric emergency medical director and had vast experience as a member and chair on various boards.

Dr. Robert first came to Laos in the early 2000s and fell in love with the country's beauty and the people's kindness. He returned in 2017, the first time he had visited LFHC. From August to October 2023, Dr. Robert was a clinical volunteer at the hospital and is no stranger to global health as he has previous experience volunteering in Africa. This in-depth understanding, along with his decades of experience, made him the perfect candidate to take on the role of Hospital Director at LFHC.

As we wish a warm welcome to Dr. Robert, we want to wish outgoing Hospital Director Dr. Thomas Brune an enormous debt of gratitude for his service to LFHC over the past two and a half years.

Under Dr. Thomas’s leadership, the hospital has opened its High-Acuity Unit, the only free intensive care unit in Northern Laos that provides treatment to the sickest and most vulnerable children. It has expanded activities to launch pilot Prevention and district training programs that aim to improve healthcare quality across Northern Laos and opened the very first donor milk bank in Laos. 

Dr. Thomas was also instrumental in the local team's training, support, and promotion. Under his leadership, the hospital appointed its first four Lao directors to LFHC’s leadership team. Medical Director Dr. Dorkeo Buapao, Medical Education Director Dr. Annkham Thammaseng, Nursing Director Maly Chittapai, Administration Director Oulailin Thasiniphone, and Vilaykone Viyakone as Assistant Administration Director. Besides these essential appointments, LFHC has also promoted Lao leaders and managers in every hospital department.

All of these achievements happened while LFHC maintained exceptional clinical standards, improved infection prevention control, and provided care to the most children in its history in 2023, with over 40,000 children receiving care. 

As we welcome Dr. Robert, we remember the incredible efforts of Dr. Thomas and all the previous hospital directors, of whom each stands on the latter's shoulders. 

We look forward to an exciting future with Dr. Robert’s leadership and will bring you more information about his immediate plans for LFHC next month.