TABLE 25.
Project plan or initiative
| Phase I. Preliminary plan |
| Make contact; respond to inquiry or invitation of host/contact program |
| Establish relationship or understanding |
| Feasibility study - Site visit |
| Proposal—3–5 year plan |
| Phase II. Specific proposal/plan |
| Gather team |
| Set date for implementation |
| Gather equipment/supplies |
| Shipment of equipment (20 foot container-surface/sea) |
| Screen/select patients |
| Team visit — first series of operations-low risk |
| Phase III |
| Identify host team members for on-site and donor site training |
| 2nd team visit-more operations |
| Recruit to other donor teams |
| Phase IV |
| 3–5 years-annual/semi-annual visits |
| Transition to host team |
| Donor participation-mentor, consultation |
| Ultimate limitations-politics, economics |
| Phase V |
| A. Donor Program obligations/commitments |
| Acceptance of a fixed number of patients from the host country to the donor country at no cost or reduced cost. This includes patients deemed high-risk or not suitable for host programs during the early stages |
| Donor program will provide observational and preferably hands-on training for selected medical team both short-term (1–3 months) and long-term (1–2 years) at the donor center. |
| Provide yearly team visits to the donor country to provide consultation training, clinical work that includes screening, evaluation, surgery, and postoperative care in collaboration with the host team. |
| Work to help with financial strategies that include grant funding, host government and private sector support. |
| B. Host program-obligations/commitments |
| Create an atmosphere of friendship and acceptance |
| Clear future bureaucratic obstacles (eg, passport, visa, custom problems, particularly for incoming equipment and supplies) |
| Provide housing, security for donor team on recurring basis |
| Recognize during screening of large backlog of patients that triage, although difficult, must prevail. All the cases cannot be done. Patience must prevail. Increased volume/complexity is a maturing process |
| Participate in the funding process and make transition to self-sufficiency |