Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41899730›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2026

Assessing Surgical Capacity in Guam: Current Strengths and Future Goals.

Ryan V Benavente, Eduardo B Biala, Brandon A Lopez, Megan Y Gimmen, Eric T Pineda, John Reinier F Narvaez, Russell K Woo, Neal A Palafox, Lee E Buenconsejo-Lum

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Ryan V BenaventeHarvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Eduardo B BialaJohn A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
Brandon A LopezUniversity of Texas Medical Branch, The University of Texas System, Galveston, TX 77550, USA.
Megan Y GimmenHarvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Eric T PinedaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Elson. S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3572-7379
John Reinier F NarvaezDepartment of Surgery, Guam Regional Medical City, Dededo, GU 96913, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4808-6697
Russell K WooDepartment of Surgery, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
Neal A PalafoxDepartment of Family Medicine and Community Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
Lee E Buenconsejo-LumDepartment of Family Medicine and Community Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8939-7646

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGuam, the largest U.S. territory in Micronesia, plays a central role in surgical care for the local indigenous community and surrounding Pacific Island nations, yet remains underrepresented in surgical systems research.

methodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study. Quantitative data were collected on operating volume, personnel, infrastructure, and surgical services at Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) and Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC). Semi-structured interviews with hospital leadership and surgical providers captured qualitative insights on strengths, challenges, and future plans.

resultsGMH and GRMC collectively provide general emergency, obstetric, and basic pediatric surgery, although advanced subspecialty and oncologic care remain limited. Although surgeons are highly adaptable with broad-practice capability, challenges, including resource limitations, aging facilities, advanced presentation, and subspecialty recruitment, limit the cases that are operable on Guam, resulting in expensive medical transfer. Anticipated stressors such as oncologic and non-communicable disease burden may further strain the system, emphasizing the necessity for modernized facilities and targeted recruitment of surgeons with regional ties.

conclusionStrengthening Guam's surgical capacity is essential for the provision of oncologic care and the advancement of health equity across the Pacific region, emphasizing an urgent need for investment in infrastructure, locally relevant workforce training, and regional policy development.

Indexed as

SurgeonsGuamHumansPublic Health Infrastructureequityglobal surgeryGuamhealth systemsMicronesiaOceaniaPacificsurgical oncologyworkforce capacity

Identifiers

PMID41899730
PMCPMC13026245

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.