Disseminating surgery effectively and efficiently in Haiti

• Published in: The Journal of craniofacial surgery Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 1244 - 1247
• Main Authors: Patel, Anup, Pfaff, Miles, Clune, James E, Mirensky, Tamar, Katona, Lindsay B, Geiling, James, Rosen, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-07-2013
• Subjects: Dentistry; Developing Countries; Disasters; Earthquakes; Forecasting; Haiti; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Health Services Accessibility - trends; Health Services Needs and Demand - organization & administration; Health Services Needs and Demand - trends; Hospitals, Teaching - organization & administration; Hospitals, Teaching - trends; Humans; Quality Improvement - organization & administration; Quality Improvement - trends; Surgical Procedures, Operative - statistics & numerical data; Surgical Procedures, Operative - trends; Wounds and Injuries - surgery; Haiti
• ISSN: 1049-2275; 1536-3732
• DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e31828dce28

The need for surgical care in Haiti remains vast despite the enormous relief efforts after the earthquake in 2010. As the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Haiti lacks the necessary infrastructure to provide surgical care to its inhabitants. In light of this, a multidisciplinary approach led by Partners In Health and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is improving the access to surgical care and offering treatment of a broad spectrum of pathology. This article discusses how postearthquake Haiti partnerships involving academic institutions can alleviate the surgical burden of disease and, in the process, serve as a profound educational experience for the academic community. The lessons learned from Haiti prove applicable in other resource-constrained settings and invaluable for the next generation of surgeons.