Lapco Nor – the Norwegian experience
The Norwegian Health Authority (South East) needed to standardise education in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. In 2014 they collaborated with Lapco International UK to form LapcoNor.
- Eight specialist surgeons and three nurses visited the UK to receive education in the Lapco Train the Trainer (TT) course concept.
- A bespoke course was then implemented in Norway in 2015-16 with strong support and guidance from Lapco International.
- The LapcoNor Train the Trainer course was accepted by the Health Authority and The Norwegian Medical Association as a voluntary course of further education in Gastrointestinal Surgery.
- By 2017, courses were offered to surgeons from all health regions in Norway.
- Since 2014, 14 TT courses have been completed across the country, with 83 delegates. The evaluation from the delegates has been very positive, using the Lapco methods of assessment.
- These courses have since been assessed for implementation in the mandatory training program for GI surgery in Norway.
In conclusion, what started out a small group of delegates being led by UK Lapco experts has led to robust programme of regular courses, independently delivered and managed by the host country.
Lapco TT Denmark – The Danish experience
Lapco TT courses has been successfully implemented in the western part of Denmark since early 2019 led by colorectal surgeon Anders Husted Madsen at his department in Herning, Denmark.
- Three TT courses were run in English.
- The first was an internal course involving Danish faculty and three Lapco UK instructors. During the course, each group rotated roles as ‘faculty’ and ‘delegates’ to gain a clear perspective on course delivery.
- The second and third courses involved carefully selected participants from the Danish faculty’s own department with support from Lapco UK instructors.
- After feedback from the UK faculty, the fourth course was held in Danish.
- Since the beginning of 2019 four courses are now held annually which receive excellent feedback from participants.
- Until now, participants have mainly been from the faculty’s own department. However, advertising has increased interest from East and South Denmark as well.
The universal nature of course methods and training tools allow courses to be adopted in areas outside laparoscopic colorectal surgery with further courses planned for surgeons in other specialties.
In conclusion the Danish experience with the LAPCO TT has been excellent and the programme is gaining significant traction across the country and plans support multiple surgical specialisms.
Lapco – The USA Experience
Since 2013, surgeons throughout the USA have been interested in many aspects of the Lapco programme. Both Mark Coleman and Tom Cecil have lectured to professional surgical associations, in particular the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). Aspects of Lapco such as the Lapco Train the Trainers course have become embedded in the SAGES postgraduate training programme.
- We have advised SAGES on telementoring and co-published work on the attributes of different telementoring platforms
- Use of the Lapco TT course for faculty members of the SAGES Adopt postgraduate training progamme helped to significantly increase new procedural adoption of new minimally invasive surgical procedures.
- State-side Lapco TT faculties have been developed with our direct contribution in association with the MITIE (Methodist Institute for Technology Innovation and Education) center at Houston Methodist Hospital Texas and CAMLS (Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation) in Tampa Florida.
Lapco – the Australian Experience
Over the last 5 years, the Australian Gynaecological Endoscopists Society (AGES), with the direct contribution of Lapco have developed their own Lapco Train the Trainers Course.
- AGES now have a fully trained faculty to deliver Lapco TT themselves
- Both Tom Cecil and Mark Coleman have lectured to the annual scientific meeting of AGES
- Lapco have provided expertise in the development of assessment tools for surgical training in gynaecology.
- Both Tom Cecil and Mark Coleman have become honorary members of AGES by invitation.