Original Articles

Introduction of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery FACE TO FACE Database

Abraham, Manoj T. MD^*,†,‡; Rousso, Joseph J. MD^‡; Hu, Shirley MD^*,‡; Brown, Ryan F. MD^§; Moscatello, Augustine L. MD^*,‡; Finn, J. Charles MD^||; Patel, Neha A. MD^‡; Kadakia, Sameep P. MD^‡; Wood-Smith, Donald MD^‡

Author Information

^*New York Medical College, Valhalla

^†Facial Plastic, Reconstructive and Laser Surgery, PLLC, Poughkeepsie

^‡New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Department of Otolaryngology, New York, NY

^§Kaiser Permanente, Department of Otolaryngology, Denver, CO

^||Finn Facial Plastics and Duke University, Department of Otolaryngology, Durham, NC.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Sameep P. Kadakia MD, 310 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 2 November, 2016

Accepted 19 December, 2016

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 28(5):p 1171-1174, July 2017. | DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000003590

Abstract

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery FACE TO FACE database was created to gather and organize patient data primarily from international humanitarian surgical mission trips, as well as local humanitarian initiatives. Similar to cloud-based Electronic Medical Records, this web-based user-generated database allows for more accurate tracking of provider and patient information and outcomes, regardless of site, and is useful when coordinating follow-up care for patients. The database is particularly useful on international mission trips as there are often different surgeons who may provide care to patients on subsequent missions, and patients who may visit more than 1 mission site. Ultimately, by pooling data across multiples sites and over time, the database has the potential to be a useful resource for population-based studies and outcome data analysis. The objective of this paper is to delineate the process involved in creating the AAFPRS FACE TO FACE database, to assess its functional utility, to draw comparisons to electronic medical records systems that are now widely implemented, and to explain the specific benefits and disadvantages of the use of the database as it was implemented on recent international surgical mission trips.