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Strategic design for pediatric neurosurgery missions across the Western Hemisphere
Amanda Hambrecht1, Matthew J Duenas, Edward J Hahn
1NYU School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Insights
Surgical outreach missions should prioritize educating local surgeons for sustainable advancements in global health. This strategy focuses on skill transfer and equipment improvement for pediatric neurosurgery in underserved regions.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Neurosurgery
- Surgical Education
Background:
- Global health initiatives aim to reduce disparities in surgical care.
- Current outreach missions are often episodic, with limited focus on local surgeon training.
- Sustainable progress in pediatric neurosurgery requires empowering local surgeons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a strategic design for surgical education missions in the Western Hemisphere.
- To transfer modern surgical skills to local neurosurgeons.
- To establish criteria for effective and targeted outreach missions.
Main Methods:
- Missions target hospitals in capital cities for maximal impact and efficiency.
- Host countries must demonstrate geopolitical stability and a need for neurosurgical resources.
- A phased approach involves initial site evaluation followed by 3-4 one-week visits.
Main Results:
- Collaborative case management facilitates progressive skill transfer.
- Emphasis on building relationships with hospital administration and local surgeons.
- Strategic site selection ensures optimal resource utilization and impact.
Conclusions:
- A collaborative and strategic approach is essential for successful surgical outreach.
- Focus on cost-effective renovation of surgical equipment and skills.
- Building camaraderie between visiting and local neurosurgeons fosters long-term improvement.
Background:
With growing interest in global health, surgeons have created outreach missions to improve health care disparities in less developed countries. These efforts are mainly episodic with visiting surgeons performing the operations and minimal investment in local surgeon education. To create real and durable advancement in surgical services in disciplines that require urgent patient care, such as pediatric neurosurgery, improving the surgical armamentarium of the local surgeons must be the priority.
Methods:
We propose a strategic design for extending surgical education missions throughout the Western Hemisphere in order to transfer modern surgical skills to local neurosurgeons. A selection criteria and structure for targeted missions is a derivative of logistical and pedagogical lessons ascertained from previous missions by our teams in Peru and Ukraine.
Results:
Outreach programs should be applied to hospitals in capital cities to serve as a central referral center for maximal impact with fiscal efficiency. The host country should fulfill several criteria, including demonstration of geopolitical stability in combination with lack of modern neurosurgical care and equipment. The mission strategy is outlined as three to four 1-week visits with an initial site evaluation to establish a relationship with the hospital administration and host surgeons. Each visit should be characterized by collaboration between visiting and host surgeons on increasingly complex cases, with progressive transfer of skills over time.
Conclusion:
A strategic approach for surgical outreach missions should be built on collaboration and camaraderie between visiting and local neurosurgeons, with the mutual objective of cost-effective targeted renovation of their surgical equipment and skill repertoire.
