Reliability of the Service Trip Audit Tool to assess the quality of short-term medical missions

Capacity Building During Short-Term Surgical Outreach Trips: A Review of What Guidelines Exist

INTRODUCTION

While short-term surgical outreach trips improve access to care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), there is rising concern about their long-term impact. In response, many organizations seek to incorporate capacity building programs into their outreach efforts to help strengthen local health systems. Although leading organizations, like the World Health Organization (WHO), advocate for this approach, uniform guidelines are absent.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review, using search terms pertaining to capacity building guidelines during short-term surgical outreach trips. We extracted information on authorship, guideline development methodology, and guidelines relating to capacity building. Guidelines were classified according to the Global-QUEST framework, which outlines seven domains of capacity building on surgical outreach trips. Guideline development methodology frequencies and domain classifications frequencies were calculated; subsequently, guidelines were aggregated to develop a core guideline for each domain.

RESULTS

A total of 35 studies were included. Over 200 individual guidelines were extracted, spanning all seven framework domains. Guidelines were most frequently classified into Coordination and Community Impact domains and least frequently into the Finance domain. Less than half (46%) of studies collaborated with local communities to design the guidelines. Instead, guidelines were predominantly developed through author trip experience.

CONCLUSION

As short-term surgical trips increase, further work is needed to standardize guidelines, create actionable steps, and promote collaborations in order to promote accountability during short-term surgical outreach trips.

Resilience of the medical mission model: assessment of the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on short-term medical missions to Latin America and the Caribbean

Background

COVID-19-related travel restrictions profoundly impacted short-term medical missions (STMMs) abroad. This study describes the effect of the pandemic as perceived by STMM organisations serving Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Methods

Information was updated for 359 primary care STMM organisations previously active in 2015, which were contained within an existing online database. Organisations were contacted to complete an online survey that gathered quantitative and qualitative descriptions of pandemic-related adaptations and program changes.

Results

22.5% (73/324) of previously active organisations had no website activity since 2020 or earlier, no longer existed, or had unclear website activity. Eighty-seven organisations responded to the survey. Ninety-six percent indicated that they would definitely (72/86, 84%) or probably (10/86, 12%) return to sending STMMs in the next five years, and most (46/83, 55%) of these intended to send an STMM within the next six months. Seventy-two respondents (93%) reported new adaptations, including direct funding for local healthcare professionals, sending equipment to host communities, focusing on training and teaching, and incorporating virtual care and electronic medical records.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate resilience, flexibility and optimism among STMM organisations and an intent to return to pre-pandemic programming rapidly.