ABSTRACT
The National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians' (NAEMSP) position on the role of medical oversight within an operational Emergency Medical Service (EMS) program highlights the importance of integrating specially trained medical directors within the structure of these programs. In response, the NAEMSP Wilderness EMS (WEMS) Committee recognized the need for the development of an educational curriculum to provide physicians with the unique skills needed to be a medical director for a WEMS agency. This paper describes the Delphi process used to create the subject matter core content, as well as the actual core content developed. This core content was the foundation for the development of a specific WEMS medical director curriculum, the Wilderness EMS Medical Director Course.
Subject(s)
Emergency Medical Services/methods , Emergency Medical Technicians/education , Physician Executives/education , Wilderness Medicine/education , Physicians , Rescue WorkABSTRACT
In an effort to produce best practice guidelines for spine immobilization in the austere environment, the Wilderness Medical Society convened an expert panel charged with the development of evidence-based guidelines for management of the injured or potentially injured spine in an austere (dangerous or compromised) environment. Recommendations are made regarding several parameters related to spinal immobilization. These recommendations are graded on the basis of the quality of supporting evidence and balance between the benefits and risks or burdens for each parameter according to the methodology stipulated by the American College of Chest Physicians. A treatment algorithm based on the guidelines is presented. This is an updated version of original WMS Practice Guidelines for Spine Immobilization in the Austere Environment published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 2013;24(3):241-252.
Subject(s)
Immobilization/methods , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy , Spinal Injuries/therapy , Wilderness Medicine , Algorithms , Humans , Immobilization/instrumentation , Societies, Medical , Wilderness Medicine/methods , Wilderness Medicine/standardsABSTRACT
In an effort to produce best-practice guidelines for spine immobilization in the austere environment, the Wilderness Medical Society convened an expert panel charged with the development of evidence-based guidelines for management of the injured or potentially injured spine in an austere (dangerous or compromised) environment. Recommendations are made regarding several factors related to spinal immobilization. These recommendations are graded based on the quality of supporting evidence and balance between the benefits and risks or burdens for each factor according to the methodology stipulated by the American College of Chest Physicians. A treatment algorithm based on the guidelines is presented.
Subject(s)
Immobilization/methods , Societies, Scientific/organization & administration , Societies, Scientific/standards , Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy , Wilderness Medicine/organization & administration , Wilderness Medicine/standards , Emergency Medical Services , Evidence-Based Medicine , Immobilization/instrumentation , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Spinal Injuries , TransportationABSTRACT
Los rescates en lugares remotos y la medicina agreste son áreas que se encuentran en desarrollo desde fines de la década de los sesenta en Estados Unidos. Nuestro país también posee un sistema de rescate en zonas apartadas, el cual se enfrenta a una creciente demanda. Presentamos el ejemplo de una unidad de rescate norteamericana, con el fin de reflexionar acerca de cómo se resuelven estas situaciones en otros países.
Rescue in remote areas and wilderness medicine have been under development in the US since the late 60´s. Chile has also developed a rescue system for remote areas which is currently facing a growing demand. We present the example of an alpine rescue team from the US, so we can reflect upon how other countries face this problems.
