Surgical Care and Health Systems.

BACKGROUND: While surgical care impacts a wide variety of diseases and conditions with non-operative and operative services, both preventive and curative, there has been little discussion concerning how surgery might be integrated within the health system of a low and middle-income country (LMIC), nor how strengthening surgical services may improve health systems and population health. METHODS: We reviewed reports from several meetings of the working group on health systems strengthening of the Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care, and also performed a review of the literature including the search terms "surgery," "health system," "developing country," "health systems strengthening," "health information system," "financing," "governance," and "integration." RESULTS: The literature search revealed no reports which focused on the integration of surgical services within a health system or as a component of health system strengthening. A conceptual model of how surgical care might be integrated within a health system is proposed, based on the discussions of our working group, combined with sources from the medical literature, and utilizing the World Health Organization's conceptual model of a health system. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening the delivery of surgical services in LMICs will require inputs at multiple levels within a health system, and this effort will require the coalescence of committed individuals and organizations, supported by civil society.

Advancement of laparoscopic surgery in Guyana: a working model for developing countries.

In the late 20th century, the volume and complexity of laparoscopic operations being performed have increased worldwide. However, surgical practice lagged behind in the Caribbean region. This article reports a tailored approach to initiate advanced laparoscopy in Guyana, which can be used as a model to initiate laparoscopic services in other developing nations. This can be achieved in four stages: 1) relying on regional proctors to teach laparoscopic techniques adapted to resource-poor environments, 2) focusing on developing skill sets such as laparoscopic suturing in order to rely less on expensive consumables, 3) creating partnerships that include all stakeholders, and 4) collaborating with regional experts as a valuable resource for continued medical education, multidisciplinary support, and sharing learning experiences.