Table 1.
In-person mentorship | Tele-mentoring (Project ECHO) | Smartphone App (WhatsApp) |
|
---|---|---|---|
Description | On-site mentorship by multidisciplinary mentorship team to surgical team at each facility focusing on technical and non-technical skills | Telementoring sessions using a hub (mentors and international faculty) and spokes (surgical teams at 10 facilities in two regions). Open to all providers at facility | Regional WhatsApp groups including mentors and surgical teams at 5 facilities in the region |
Frequency | 2 days every 2 months | 80-min weekly sessions | As needed over 24 h, 7 days a week |
Focus |
Mentorship on three tracks: clinical, data and patient pathway Facilitation on development and implementation of the Quality Improvement Action Plan Problem solving on perioperative and organizational challenges Technical support on Facility Accelerator Fund priorities Advocate on surgical priorities with facility and regional leaders |
Didactic presentation on safe surgery topics Presentation of a best practice or challenging case by one facility Discussion and feedback on case by peers and mentors Promotion and dissemination of clinical updates and recommendations |
Communication by mentors, mentees, and safe surgery program team Advice on management of patients Sharing of monthly postsurgical infection rates and other program indicators by each facility Sharing of successes and challenges |
Examples of mentorship activities |
Side-by-side mentoring on the Joel Cohen cesarean section technique to reduce postoperative complications Coaching on the SSC in the OR by explaining why something is important and how to perform it effectively Coaching on screening, classification and management of surgical site infections during ward rounds |
Presentation and demonstration on standards for sterile processing of surgical instruments Training sessions for hospital technicians and biomedical engineers covering various issues related to hospital equipment maintenance and repair Presentation on how to manage four types of post-partum hemorrhage by mentors, followed by a case presentation by a surgical team and discussion by surgical providers and mentors |
Mentee in a remote facility sends a message on a patient’s condition including photos and X-ray or lab results. Mentor provides guidance on patient management Mentors share short video clip and photos demonstrating the B-Lynch procedure for the management of post-partum hemorrhage Mentees submit monthly postsurgical infections rates. Mentors provide advice on strategies for improvement. Peers cheer or send encouraging messages |