Working in Resource-Challenged Environments

Abstract

Working with limited resources in unfamiliar and/or austere environments is one of the most challenging but often most rewarding experiences in life. The operations performed in places where patients do not have ready access to quality care and needed expertise can be life-changing for these individuals. The challenges create the need for innovation, flexibility, and the use of extra precautions to avoid complications. Careful preoperative planning is paramount in importance. Never before in history have both patient needs and available treatment options been so great. Today’s technology has increased our opportunities to develop working relationships with colleagues around the world, providing more possibilities for education and patient care. As experience is gained and relationships are formed, working in these environments becomes much more effective.