Starting a Cleft Team: A Primer

Key points

Methodology

The authors, who each codirect cleft teams at their home institutions and who are members of the Cleft and Craniofacial Subcommittee of the AAFPRS Specialty Surgery Committee, developed a list of recommendations. The recommendations were circulated to all members of the Subcommittee for feedback and ratification. Current guidelines for multidisciplinary cleft and craniofacial care in the literature served as the basis for many of the recommendations.

Results

A list of 20 recommendations was generated. These recommendations were not ranked in any particular sequence or weighted in order of importance, but were organized into five general categories: (1) surgical training and board certification; (2) identification of clinical need and hospital selection; (3) team format, recruitment, and certification; (4) budget and finance; and (5) marketing.

Discussion

The role of the otolaryngologist/head and neck surgeon in cleft and craniofacial teams now routinely includes the reconstructive surgical procedures that patients require throughout the duration of their care. As such, many facial plastic surgeons and pediatric otolaryngologists are poised to assume leadership roles on established cleft and craniofacial teams or to begin new teams. Cleft and craniofacial anomalies represent some of the most prevalent congenital birth defects, yet there may

Summary

Clinical expertise is the primary qualification for leading a cleft and craniofacial team. Successful teams also implement organizational and outreach strategies to thrive. The establishment of a cleft team at a domestic medical center can provide multiple benefits for the community served, the team's members, the medical center itself, and even the recipients of charity mission work abroad. With diligence, ample forethought, preparation, and networking, surgeons with appropriate cleft training

Acknowledgments

The authors have no conflicts of interest, including financial interests, activities, relationships, or affiliations. No grants or financial support were received for this work. The authors thank Dr S.A. Tatum III and Dr J.M. Sykes for their thoughtful review and constructive comments, and Mrs A.H. Jenne for her administrative assistance.