Surgery and Healing in the Developing World - Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery in Developing Countries
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Operation Smile’s fact-finding team for a first time site consists of
1. Plastic Surgeon*
2. Anesthesiologist*
3. Development Officer
4. Mission Coordinator
Operation Smile’s team for an assessment of a repeat site consists of:
1. Anesthesiologist*
2. Development Officer
3. Mission Coordinator
4. Plastic Surgeon (if possible)
*Ideally, the team leaders for the missions fulfill these rolls. If not, they must be
team leaders from other missions.
Creating a Patient-Friendly and Family-Oriented
Environment
During Operation Smile missions, we encounter hundreds of patients and families
seeking surgical care. Unfortunately, by virtue of the pervasiveness of facial deformities
around the world there are always children turned away, and our volunteers
face more work than can be done during a mission. Providing safe surgical care for
the correction of facial deformities is our business and our passion, but creating an
environment that respects families and patients during this process does not happen
by itself. There are simple and purposeful ways that complement the Operation
Smile process and create a family and patient-friendly environment.
The keys to creating a secure and comfortable environment for patients and
families include doctor availability, use of translators and a working knowledge of
the sensitive issues, culturally and medically, for patients and families.
Photography
Many of the patients who seek care from Operation Smile are uncomfortable
with their appearances. Most team members want to take photographs to document
their experience and some need to provide their chapter, club or sponsoring organization
with a presentation at the conclusion of their mission. Since many missions
already have a team photographer specifically charged with documenting the mission,
it is important not to jeopardize this task. Sensitivity towards patients and
families includes courtesy and basic thoughtfulness. You can successfully document
your mission experience while respecting patients and families:
Ask permission to take a photograph (learn the phrase in that language).
Form a relationship (through play or conversation) with the person or people
you are photographing.
Follow a specific patient/family through the mission (allowing you to form a
relationship).
Before and after photographs tell the best story, but monitor the timing of such
photographs.
*A patient may be more receptive to having a before picture taken after they
have been selected for surgery (versus during the screening process when
they are unsure if they will be chosen).
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