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- Talk
- 20/09/2022
- UK
Malawi Virtual Follow-Up: Ashtin Doorgakant Feet First
Description
The presentation begins with Deepa Bose thanking Ashtin Doorgakant, who is stepping in for James Gibbs. Ashtin discusses his project on virtual follow-up clinics in Malawi, which aligns with the concept of data collection and impact evaluation in low and middle-income countries. He acknowledges the Women's Orthopaedic Clinic (WOC) for sponsoring his participation in the Future Leaders Program, describing it as a transformative experience.
Ashtin reflects on the challenges of collecting meaningful follow-up data from the patients he works with during brief visits, highlighting the importance of understanding the impact of his work. He presents the idea that traditional methods of follow-up may not capture the full narrative of patient outcomes. Although he encounters logistical challenges and a lack of consistent data, Ashtin emphasizes the need for collecting real-time data and is advocating for improving follow-up mechanisms for better impact understanding.
His previous pilot project in Malawi faced interruptions, leading to limited data collection. Despite setbacks, Ashtin's recent project yielded promising results in terms of data gathering and patient follow-ups, although he acknowledges that sustaining consistent data collection over time remains a challenge.
Ashtin proposes practical solutions for future projects, including the potential for secretarial support to manage data more effectively and exploring financial incentives for patients to return for follow-up visits. These recommendations aim to bolster the reliability of data, ultimately enhancing the quality of orthopedic interventions abroad while ensuring that such efforts do not become 'flash in the pan' experiences.
The presentation concludes with Ashtin thanking his collaborators and affirming his commitment to ongoing data collection initiatives, hoping that his projects will lead to more sustainable orthopedic care in resource-limited settings.