Dr. Srilekha Reddy Palle is a physical therapist and healthcare leader in Metropolitan Washington DC area. Since September 2018, Srilekha has been a supporter of VFF USA and a volunteer under the ‘Prescription for Hope’ program, which aims to address the urban-rural divide in health-care access.

She got to know about VFF USA at an India-USA submit in Hyderabad organized as a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an encounter that she describes as “destiny”. Before getting married and moving to the USA, Srilekha was born and raised in Bethemcherla in the Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh and only 140Km from VFF headquarters in India.

“When I heard that VFF USA was working in Anantapur my eyes totally lit up because there are not that many Rayalaseema people that she knows of that worked in that area,” she expresses. Back home, she asked her parents about VFF USA’s partner in India, the Rural Development Trust. To her surprise, her Dad knew the organization well and encouraged her to collaborate.

Srilekha had prior humanitarian experience in the field as she participated in rehabilitation programs after the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and is the kind of person who is always volunteering to help in some way.   “I am in a point in my life where I have accomplished my set goals.  I was very keen in contributing in any way I could to the community at large. I attended VFF USA Annual Gala and when I heard about this medical program, I didn’t think twice and signed up immediately.”

Her background as a clinician and her passion for high quality patient care led her to a career in healthcare administration. Throughout the week-long Prescription for Hope program, Srilekha shadowed doctors and physiotherapists at VFF’s hospitals and screening camps to later exchange expertise and best practices.

“In my experience, the gap between hospitalization and home care is crucial. I visited the Orthopedic and Traumatology Department at the RDT Hospital in Bathalapalli, the orthopedic workshops and few screening sessions at the field level. RDT teaches patients’ relatives basic rehabilitation exercises that can be conducted at home. I believe there is scope for RDT to create an intermediate stage Comprehensive Acute rehabilitation services in a facility that provides patients with access to Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapists, along with Physiatrists, Rehabilitation Nurses, Case Managers, Neuropsychologists, Psychologists, Therapeutic Recreational Specialists, Respiratory Therapists, etc. Holistic care centers where teams work together is a missing asset in the the Indian healthcare system” observes Srilekha.

The primary purpose of acute rehabilitation is to support patients who are able to be discharged from hospital but are not ready to go home. Acute rehabilitation offers recovering patients treatment from therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapist until a point where they can go home and progress with outpatient services.

“Low income people can’t afford home therapy because it is very expensive. Their treatment options are limited and often minimal. The risks are high, without proper care, patients can get pressure sores and Mortality in patients with pressure ulcers is very high. That’s a burden on the society, a burden on the family and for the patient. That intermediate care is completely missing in healthcare in India”, she adds.

Passionate about healthcare administration and high quality patient care, Srilekha knows what it means to grew up in rural Andhra Pradesh. Her empathy and energy is contagious. At VFF USA we are glad to have her amongst our team of volunteers!