Access to Surgical Care
How can we bring surgical care to five billion people who lack access to it?
Check out Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram's TedWomen Talk, "How augmented reality could change the future of surgery." (2) - (11m)
Is it "cost-effective" to make surgical care an integral part of global health care delivery?
Listen to Dr. John Meara's interview with the Lancet, "Global Surgery Commission: The Lancet: April 27, 2015." (3) - (12m)
How can surgeons train each other in remote regions across the globe?
Watch Dr. Steven Schwaitzberg's Tedx Talk, "A universal translator for surgeons." (4) - (11m)
Can telemedicine ensure greater post-operative outcomes in remote areas and across the globe?
Check out Dr. Shimul Shah's Behind the Knife interview, "Annals of Surgery Journal Club #12: Remote Monitoring." (5) - (32m)
How are many patients responding to increasing costs of surgical care?
Watch this ABC Australia news clip, "Patients seek surgery overseas." (6) - (2m)
If I am interested in this topic, where can I learn more?
This essay gives statistics to the global surgical shortage, and how it imperils lives in poor and middle-income countries. Of 313 million surgeries worldwide, 5% took place in poor countries. The article also has links to other important reports on the subject!
Read the NPR essay, "Why Surgeons Are Rethinking the Fly-In Medical Mission." (9)
This piece examines shifting approaches to global surgery. It details the story of a U.S. charity organization and a young Nepali surgeon to examine the nuances of medical mission work.
Consider this NPR article, "Too Little, Too Late, Too Risky: Surgery in Africa." (10)
This article explains some of the most prominent consequences when surgical and health care resources are inaccessible.
Check out this Vox essay, "He needed a gender-affirming procedure. The hospital said no." (11)
This piece dives into the controversy surrounding "religious refusals" of patient care, and the risks it poses to patients.
Read this NY Times piece, "The Growing Popularity of Having Surgery Overseas." (12)
This essay details growing trends in medical tourism. It highlights the popularity of Americans seeking surgical care in Europe and South East Asia, among other regions. It also, however, presents several domestic health plans and payment options that have lowered surgical costs domestically.
A Glimpse of the Surgical Tourism Industry
· https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/traveling-overseas-for-medical-procedures/ · https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2014/medical-tourism-surgery-abroad.html
Sources
1. Alkire BC, Raykar NP, Shrime MG, Weiser TG, Bickler SW, Rose JA et al. (June 01, 2015). Global access to surgical care: a modelling study. The Lancet; 3(6): 316-323.
2. Hachach-Haram N. How augmented reality could change the future of surgery. (2017, November). Retrieved Nov. 07, 2019 from: https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_hachach_haram_how_augmented_reality_could_change_the_future_of_surgery/transcript?language=en#t-372951
3. Meara J. Global Surgery Commission: The Lancet: April 27, 2015. (2015, April 27). Retrieved on Nov. 19, 2019 from: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL0xpc3RlblRvVGhlTGFuY2V0&episode=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlbGFuY2V0LmNvbS9wYi9hc3NldHMvcmF3L0xhbmNldC9zdG9yaWVzL2F1ZGlvL2xhbmNldC8yMDE1LzI3YXByaWwubXAz&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiciqn4yvvlAhUOTN8KHSZIBFwQjrkEegQIARAG&ep=6&at=1574348987303
4. Schwaitzberg S. A universal translator for surgeons. (2012, November). Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2019 from: https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_schwaitzberg_a_universal_translator_for_surgeons?referrer=playlist-the_future_of_surgery
5. Shah S. Annals of Surgery Journal Club #12: Remote Monitoring. (2019, Nov. 3). Retrieved on Nov. 07 2019 from: https://behindtheknife.libsyn.com/annals-of-surgery-journal-club-12-remote-monitoring
6. ABC News Australia. Patients seek surgery overseas. (2011, May 27). Retrieved on Nov. 16, 2019 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVBjsGKrQdM
7. Harrington R. Two-thirds of the world doesn't have access to a key medical procedure that many take for granted. Business Insider. (2016, June 16). Retrieved on Nov. 26, 2019 from: https://www.businessinsider.com/millions-dont-have-access-to-safe-surgery-2016-6
8. McNeil DG. Routine Operations Could Save Millions of Lives, if They Were Available. NY Times. (2015, April 27). Retrieved on Nov. 19, 2019 from: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/health/routine-surgeries-could-save-millions-of-lives-if-they-were-available.html
9. Silberner J. Why Surgeons Are Rethinking The Fly-In Medical Mission. (2019, March 27). Retrieved on Nov. 03, 2019 from: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/27/656172038/is-it-time-to-rethink-the-fly-in-medical-mission
10. Brink S. Too Little, Too Late, Too Risky: Surgery in Africa. (2018, Jan 29). Retrieved on Nov. 22, 2019 from: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/01/29/578307325/too-little-too-late-too-risky-surgery-in-africa
11. Smith SE. He needed a gender-affirming procedure. The hospital said no. (2019, Nov. 01). Retrieved on Nov. 11, 2019 from: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/25/20929539/catholic-hospitals-religious-refusal-rural-health-care-evan-minton
12. Rosenthal E. The Growing Popularity of Having Surgery Overseas. NY Times. (2013, Aug. 06). Retrieved on Nov. 01, 2019 from: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/us/the-growing-popularity-of-having-surgery-overseas.html