BACKGROUND We present a report of an exclusively hand surgery mission to Honduras in May 2006. Few other exclusively hand humanitarian missions have been reported; none have attempted to demonstrate cost-effectiveness. Our objective is to prove cost effectiveness.

METHODOLOGY Healthcare professionals, including surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurse, pediatrician, and therapist, were asked to estimate costs of professional services. Actual costs incurred were recorded and compared to estimates of professional services. A ratio of dollars spent to professional service value provided was calculated.

RESULTS 120 patients were screened, and 129 procedures were performed on 81 patients. Estimates for professional services were: Surgery $144,000, Anesthesia $59,000, Pediatrics $9000, Nursing $17,000, Physical Therapy $5,000, Physical Therapy materials $1,000, and donated supplies $14,000. The total estimated value of these professional services was $249,000, compared to the actual cost of $23,000 incurred for the trip. Therefore, each dollar actually spent represents an eleven-fold gain in professional services rendered.

CONCLUSIONS An exclusively hand surgery humanitarian mission is detailed and offers financial value to the targeted international population. We demonstrate to potential fundraisers that each dollar contributed represents a 11-fold increase in terms of medical services provided to the population in need.