From Short-term Surgical Missions Towards Sustainable Partnerships

November 25, 2020 updated by: Matthijs Botman, Global Surgery Amsterdam

From Short-term Surgical Missions Towards Sustainable Partnerships. A Survey Among Members of Foreign Teams

Introduction: Recently, the devastating consequences of neglected surgical care in global health became apparent with an estimated five billion people lacking access to safe surgical and anesthesia care. Traditionally, short-term surgical missions were the predominant strategy how surgical care was supported in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Although surgical missions have been criticized in recent literature they are still being performed on a large scale. The aim of this study is to provide recommendations for persons and organizations involved in surgical mission on how to strengthen surgical care in LMICs in the future.

Method: An online survey was developed for members of foreign teams. Data was collected on 5 topics, consisting of: 1) basic characteristics of the missions, 2) main activities, 2) follow-up and reporting, 3) the local registration process for foreign teams and 4) collaboration with local stakeholders.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
61

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Netherlands
    • Noord Holland
      • Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands, 1105BD
        • Global surgery amsterdam

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

An international group of members of foreign teams, that did participate in at least one short-term surgical mission in a hospital in a LMIC

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Members of foreign teams, that did participate in at least one short-term surgical mission in a hospital in a LMIC

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Q7: Country Where the Last Mission Took Place
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes
Answer on the question: What was the country where your last mission took place?
approximately 20 minutes
Q8: Name of the Place and Hospital Where the Last Mission Took Place
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes
List with names of the places and hospitals where the last mission took place
approximately 20 minutes
Q9: Number of Participants Per Organization
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes
Name of the organization that supported the last mission of the participant
approximately 20 minutes
Q10: Countries Where the NGOs Are Based
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes
List of countries where the supporting NGOs of the last mission are based
approximately 20 minutes
Q11: Importance of Potential Activities
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

Points provided (1-4) for four potential activities of a visiting team (more points = more important activity) The points provided by all participants are summed per specific activity and the total scores are compared

The four potential activities are:

  • Treat patients yourself
  • Provide surgical equipment and consumables for the local team
  • Provide free treatment
  • Facilitate teaching of local staff

Scale with importance of potential activities. Maximum score: 4x58 = 232
approximately 20 minutes
Q12: Activities That Where Missing in Question 11.
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

Respondents that were missing this activity as an option in question 11

Total number of respondents that were missing an activity: 29

Activities that were missing:

  • Financial collaboration
  • Advocacy
  • Academic collaboration
  • Sustainability
  • Collaboration with local staff
  • Follow-up
approximately 20 minutes
Q13. Medical Registration is Required in the Host Country
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

Medical registration in the host country is required for specialists performing short-term reconstructive missions

Participants of the survey were asked what they think of this statement:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
approximately 20 minutes
Q14: The Process of Obtaining Medical Registration Was Straightforward
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

The Process of Obtaining Medical Registration Was Straightforward

Participants of the survey were asked what they think of this statement:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
approximately 20 minutes
Q15: Collaboration
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

What can you say about the collaboration between authorities in LMICs and visiting surgical teams?

Participants of the survey were asked to choose one of the following answers on this question:

  • collaboration is present but improvement is needed
  • there is no collaboration and it should be developed as a priority
  • collaboration has no benefits nor disadvantages
  • collaboration will likely be more harmful than beneficial for the mission
approximately 20 minutes
Q16. What Should Have a Higher Priority in the Hospital of Your Last Mission?
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

What should have a higher priority in the hospital of your last mission ?

Respondents were asked to choose on the these two answers:

Teaching in anesthesia care or teaching in surgical care
approximately 20 minutes
Q17. A Structured Follow-up Strategy is Required
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

A structured follow-up strategy (>6 months) of patients is required for short-term reconstructive surgical missions.

Participants of the survey were asked what they think of this statement:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
approximately 20 minutes
Q18. One Month After the Mission, an Official Report is Recommended
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

One month after the mission, an official report on the outcome including all complications encountered is recommended for all missions.

Participants of the survey were asked what they think of this statement:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
approximately 20 minutes
Q19. A Written Long-term Strategy is Recommended at the Start of a New Project.
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

A written long-term strategy (>5 years) with clear goals, developed by the visiting team and the local actors together, is recommended at the start of a new project.

Participants of the survey were asked what they think of this statement:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
approximately 20 minutes
Q20. Suggestions to Improve the Impact of Short Term Reconstructive Missions.
Time Frame: approximately 20 minutes

What would you suggest to improve the impact of short term reconstructive missions?

The answers were categorized and the three most mentioned categories are:

  • Teaching of local staff
  • Follow-up
  • Building sustainable partnerships

The three activities were mentioned in total 68 times in the comments The distribution among the three categories is shown below
approximately 20 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Global Surgery Amsterdam

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 30, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 30, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 20, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 29, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 30, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 19, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 25, 2020

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2020-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will be shared anonymously on this platform as requested by the journal of submission (int,. journal of surgery)

IPD Sharing Time Frame

ASAP

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Global Surgery

Clinical Trials on no intervention

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings