Short-term medical service trips: what is the cost of patient care and student training?

Abstract

Background Evaluations of the costs and effects of medical service trips (MSTs) are increasingly necessary. Estimates of costs can inform decision making to determine if participation is likely to be a wise use of resources. Methods This study estimates the costs and effects of a 1-week MST for 20 health professions students and seven providers to the Dominican Republic. Costs were defined as direct costs for students and providers and opportunity costs for providers. Effects were defined as the cost to treat one patient and the cost to train one student. Students were surveyed about their costs before and after the MST. Most provider costs were assumed to be the same as those of the students. Results The mean direct cost per student was US$1764 and US$2066 for providers. Total opportunity costs for seven providers was US$19 869. The total cost for the trip was US$69 612 to treat 464 patients. With and without provider opportunity costs, the cost to treat one patient was US$150 and US$107, and the cost to train one student was US$3481 and US$2487, respectively. Conclusions Short-term MSTs may be more expensive than previously thought. The cost to treat one patient was similar to a medical office visit in the USA.

Effect of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Pandemics on Global Surgical Outreach

“…The cost of surgical mission trips has been estimated to be more than $3.7 billion annually. 5 Even when the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak declines, governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will likely need to triage spending to address the economic and health care fallout from the pandemic. Concerns for a looming recession may complicate securing donations and physician selffunding of global surgical outreach.The pandemic may instill fear among health care workers regarding international travel for years to come.…”

“…The surgical needs of LMICs remain unmet by the existing medley of federal agencies and NGOs. 2,3,5,9 The COVID-19 contagion will likely exacerbate health disparities and the need for surgical care in LMICs. With evidence-based information lacking, otolaryngologistshead and neck surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, and plastic surgeons have a remarkable opportunity to work together to be at the forefront of revolutionizing global surgical outreach for the better.…”

“…In the longer term, SGHPs may face difficulties securing funding. The cost of surgical mission trips has been estimated to be more than $3.7 billion annually . Even when the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak declines, governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will likely need to triage spending to address the economic and health care fallout from the pandemic.…”

Establishing a Virtual Global Health Education Partnership: The Cleveland-Cusco Connection

“…There are several drawbacks to international field experiences, including the high costs of participating in overseas placements; estimated mission trip costs range from $12,600 to $84,000 per trip [ 2 ]. Students and physicians are responsible for many costs on these trips, which Rovers et al estimated at $1764 and $2066, respectively, for a week-long trip to the Dominican Republic [ 3 ]. Additionally, international travel for global health (GH) experiences has raised ethical concerns.…”

“…In the modern era, health issues transcend borders and national governments, and it is paramount that healthcare professionals understand global issues to improve healthcare delivery worldwide. Global health education (GHE) has traditionally utilized various modalities, such as didactic lectures, workshops, and international field experiences, including clinical electives and mission trips [2][3][4]. There are several drawbacks to international field experiences, including the high costs of participating in overseas placements; estimated mission trip costs range from $12,600 to $84,000 per trip [2].…”