GC4  Update    

November,  2011  

Namaskar  

It   is   our   pleasure   to   update   you   on   the   Guwahati   Comprehensive   Cleft   Care  Center.     This   unique   public   private   partnership   is   making   daily   progress   towards  achieving  our   goals  of   Increased  Capacity,  Decreased  Costs,   and  a  Cleft   Free  Assam.    November  has  been  another  month  full  of  progress  and  evolution  at  GC4,  and  we  very  much  hope  you  enjoy  this  update.                                                          -­‐-­‐Team  Guwahati  

 

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We  have  broken  our  old  record  of  237  surgeries  in  a  month,  operating  on  304  patients  in  November!    This  occurred  as  GC4  has  become  fully  self-­‐sufficient,  marking  a  successful  transition  from  large-­‐scale  missions  in  Guwahati  to  a  full  time,  high  volume,  sustainable  cleft  care  center.    We  run  three  general  anesthesia  tables  a  day,  and  hosted  a  group  of  international  volunteers  from  November  12-­‐20  to  expand  to  four  tables  for  that  period  while  exchanging  expertise  and  developing  new  friendships.  

“We  are  really  proud  of  our  Team,  who  have  maintained  a  central  focus  on  safety  and  quality  in  order  to  raise  the  bar  for  cleft  care  in  the  developing  world.    More  impressive  than  our  surgical  volume  is  the  overall  care  of  our  patients.    The  complication  rate  has  fallen  by  80%  since  the  Center  started,  and  our  nearly  500  postoperative   evaluations   this  month   demonstrates   superb   attention   to   long-­‐term   patient   care.     This   is   a  great  Team,  constantly  looking  to  improve.”              -­‐-­‐Alex  Campbell,  MD  (Medical  Director)  

 

 

       

GC4  Center  Director,  Mahesh  Deori    

We   are   pleased   to   welcome   Mahesh,   who   joined   Team   Guwahati   at   the  beginning  of  October  as  our  Center  Director.    In  this  role,  he  oversees  all  operations  and   functions   at  GC4.    He  has   quickly   become   a  valuable   leader,   sharing   his  warm  smile  and  “can-­‐do”  attitude  to  improve  our  Center  daily.  

GC4  Performs  304  Surgeries  in  November  

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Patient  Follow  Up  Programs:

Our   follow-­‐up   campaign   continues   to  surge  forward,  breaking  the  previous  record  with  491  follow  up  examinations  in  November!      

The   Team   works   very   hard   to   help  patients   overcome   the   barriers   to   returning   for  these   visits,   which   are   critical   for   evaluation   of  outcomes  and  providing  future  treatment.  

 

Our   District   Outreach   Follow-­‐up   and  Speech   Therapy   (DOFAST)   program   visited  Nagaon   and   Kamrup   in   November,   where   our  plastic   surgeons,   Patient  Counselors,   and   speech  therapist   provided   care   to   192   additional  children.     These   programs   are   expanding   our  patients’   access   to   follow   up   care   and   speech  therapy  at  local  levels.  

     

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Education   and   Training   are   central   to  developing  a  model  of  excellence  and  sustainability.    We   are   constantly   working   to   expand   knowledge  and   skills   of   all   members   of   our   staff,   and   have  created   a   Team   that   is   highly   specialized   and  proficient  in  pediatric  surgical  care.      

Our  Center  has  now  become  a  resource  site,  with   a   steady   inflow   of   visitors   coming   to   train   at  GC4.     Our   providers   are   also   traveling   to   missions  outside   of   Guwahati   in   order   to   teach   others   in  India  about  quality  cleft  care.      

§ 25  Indian  Nurses  trained  in  comprehensive  cleft  care.    

§ 79  American  Heart  Association  Certifications  o 60  BLS  (Basic  Life  Support)  o 14  PALS  (Pediatric  Advanced  Life  Support)  o 5  ACLS  (Advanced  Cardiac  Life  Support)  

§ 14  Surgical  Fellows  have  rotated  at  GC4  for  training  in  cleft  care.    

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GC4  Training  Programs  

carry    

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 Expansion  of  Services:    

Patient  Counselor  Program  

  Our  team  of  Operation  Smile  Patient  Counselors  continues  to  canvas  the  state  in  order  to  identify,  educate,  and  organize  surgery   for   our   patients.     They   are   vital   to   developing   and  maintaining  collaborations  with  our  local  partners  throughout  rural  Assam,  and  their  interactions  with  patients,  families,  and  local  healthcare  workers  extend  our  care  to  those  in  need.  

These  young  men  and  women  are  offering  the  miracle  of   cleft   care   to   the  most   remote   and   challenging   of   regions,  and  creating  strategies  that  can  be  used  throughout  the  world.        

  On   November   28th,   a   new   class   of   Patient   Counselors  joined  Team  Guwahati.    They  received  orientation  and  training  and   are   now   ready   to   help   us   achieve   a   cleft   free   Assam-­‐-­‐  district  by  district,  block  by  block,  and  village  by  village.  

Dr.  Vivek  Argawal  is  a  Guwahati  native  and  an  accomplished  Ear,  Nose,  and  Throat  (ENT)  Specialist.    He  joined  our  team  in  November,  and  is   making   significant   contributions   to   our   comprehensive   care   of  patients.    Dr.  Argawal  loves  the  pace,  energy,  and  interaction  at  GC4,  and  is  excited  about  treating  large  volumes  of  challenging  patients  in  order  to  maximize  hearing,  speech,  and  respiratory  airflow.      

FACT:    80%  of  cleft  palate  patients  suffer  from  middle  ear  disease.  

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 Rosie  Borey,  RN  

Rosie  Borey  is  an  operating  room  nurse  from  Australia  who  has  been  involved  with  Operation  Smile  for  3  years.    She  learned  about  the  project  in  Guwahati  while  on  a  mission  in  Brazil,  and  immediately  was  drawn  to  join  our  cause.    Rosie  joined  Team  Guwahati  last  December  as  a  core  international  specialist,  charged  with  creating  and  implementing  nursing  practices  and  procedures  in  the  operating  room.    She  is  the  founding  OR  Nurse  Manager  at  GC4,  and  has  been  critical  to  developing  a  safe  and  efficient  operating  theater,  capable  of  curing  hundreds  of  children  per  month.    She  has  trained  a  local  OR  Nursing  Team  of  7  members  that  is  now  redefining  excellence  in  Operation  Smile.    Rosie  finishes  her  term  at  GC4  at  the  end  of  November,  and  leaves  behind  her  masterpiece  that  is  the  GC4  Operating  Theater.    

 You  are  a  real  star,  Rosie,  and  we  deeply  thank  you  for  your  love  and  commitment  in  building  this  magical  Center.      

A  truly  excellent  performance!    

Much  Love,  

-­‐-­‐Team  Guwahati  

GC4  Nurses  and  Community  Outreach  in  Guwahati  

Meals  for  Street  Kids       “We  cook  food  and  provide  free  meals  to  street  kids  in  Guwahati  every  Sunday.    Numerous  members  of  the  GC4  staff  have   gotten   involved   and   we   serve   approximately   50   meals  per  week  to  very  needy  and  appreciative  children.”  

                                       -­‐-­‐Kristin  Lay,  RN                                                Nurse  Manager,  Post  Anesthesia  Care  Unit  

Street  Kid  Days  at  Snehalaya  Orphanage       “Motivated  to  do  more  than  simply  pass  by  the  street  kids   near   the   hospital,   we   have   teamed   up   with   a   local  orphanage   to   have   special   days   for   these   children.    We   pick  them  up,  give  them  food,  baths,  and  delousing  treatment.    The  day  is  focused  on  them  as  children,  and  each  gets  a  new  outfit.    They  love  playing  games  with  our  volunteers.”  

                                       -­‐-­‐Susanna  Stevens,  RN                                                Nursing  Supervisor