Community-based network system and interdisciplinary management for children with cleft-lip/palate

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Care
• Health Systems Management

Background:

• Cleft lip and palate (CLP) care often lacks coordinated multidisciplinary services in developing countries.
• Effective management requires integrating primary care, community resources, and specialized expertise.
• Thailand faces challenges in providing comprehensive care for children with CLP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a community-based network system for children with cleft lip/palate (CLP).
• To establish an interdisciplinary management approach for CLP care.
• To ensure applicability in Thailand and other developing countries.

Main Methods:

• Developed a network integrating primary health care, community-based rehabilitation, and institutional expertise.
• Conducted workshops on network development, incidence/etiology studies, and skill enhancement for parents.
• Established a community-based model for speech disorders and holistic nursing care for children with CLP.

Main Results:

• A community-based network system model was successfully developed.
• The model incorporates interdisciplinary care principles for comprehensive CLP management.
• The system is designed for scalability and adaptation in diverse healthcare settings.

Conclusions:

• The proposed community-based network system with interdisciplinary care is applicable to children with CLP in Thailand and developing countries.
• This model addresses the gap in coordinated multidisciplinary services.
• Implementation of this system is planned for the near future to enhance patient outcomes.