Establishing Baseline Compliance with Multidisciplinary Cleft Care: A Retrospective Study from Bahrain (Part 1)

Background: Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) requires timely, multidisciplinary care to optimize health outcomes. In Bahrain, no prior data describe access to such services. This study aimed to establish a hospital-based registry and assess baseline patterns of attendance across specialty clinics at Bahrain Defense Force - Royal Medical Services before the implementation of a national cleft care pathway. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, all patients with CL/P who attended cleft-related clinics between June 2017 and September 2020 were identified. Electronic records were reviewed to collect demographics, cleft type, and age at first visit to Pediatrics, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), Pedodontics, Orthodontics, and Psychology.