Mobile Surgical Scouts Increase Surgical Access for Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate in Nepal

BACKGROUND: In Nepal's remote regions, challenging topography prevents patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) from seeking care. OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of a mobile surgical scout program on CLP surgical care in remote regions of Nepal. METHODS: Forty-four lay people were trained as mobile surgical scouts and over 5 months traversed remote districts of Nepal on foot to detect and refer CLP patients for surgical care. Surgical patients from remote districts were compared with matched time periods in the year before intervention. Diagnostic accuracy of the surgical scouts was assessed. FINDINGS: Mobile surgical scouts accurately diagnosed (90%) and referred (82%) patients for cleft surgery. Before the intervention, CLP surgeries from remote districts represented 3.5% of cleft surgeries performed. With mobile surgical scouting, patients from remote districts comprised 8.2% of all cleft surgeries (p = 0.007). When transportation and accompaniment was provided in addition to mobile surgical scouts, patients from remote districts represented 13.5% (p ≤ 0.001) of all cleft surgeries. CONCLUSION: Task-shifting the surgical screening process to trained scouts resulted in accurate diagnoses, referrals, and increased access to cleft surgery in remote districts of Nepal.