International partnerships to foster growth in emergency medicine in Romania

Abstract

Emergency medicine (EM) is a growing specialty internationally, but has yet to be cultivated in countries with otherwise advanced health care systems. To promote the growth of EM, emergency physicians from countries where EM is a mature specialty can assist with knowledge transfer and development of emergency medical systems to make a lasting impact on the community served. We present our experience in assisting the development of emergency medicine in a university-affiliated regional hospital in Romania. The International Emergency Medicine Fellowship program at the University of Toronto established links in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in order to provide expertise and assist local leadership to stimulate growth in EM. In October 2005, a 3-member team travelled to Cluj-Napoca to provide input on how to best use a new physical plant, to deliver continuing education to physicians and nurses, and to help establish long-term development goals. The team identified the following priorities through a comprehensive needs assessment: physical plant organization and patient flow, staffing, staff education, equipment, medication and supplies, and infection control practices. In conjunction with local counterparts, a plan was developed addressing each priority. Staff, hospital administration and university officials report positive growth in EM as a result of the collaboration. Further work is underway to implement the plan, including international exchange trips to promote mutual growth between partners.

Growth and globalization of point‐of‐care ultrasound publications in emergency medicine

“…Increase in international contribution to EM POCUS scholarship reflects the growth of EM as a specialty in the past 20 years and the creation of international guidelines for ultrasound education and practice 11,13–15 . There are several significant contributors to our data found on the analysis including Canada and Turkey.…”

Development of a pediatric ophthalmology academic partnership between Canada and Ethiopia: a situational analysis

“…Needs assessments are an effective means of identifying priorities for educational programs and international academic partnerships, in collaboration with local stakeholders [11,15,17,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Observation of clinical cases enabled real world experience on how team members from both centres may deliver a collaborative training program.…”

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“…To have a positive impact on the places visited, it is essential that there is a willingness to listen to local staff [3 ]. These individuals have a far better understanding of the problems faced and resources available than visitors can fully appreciate during a time-limited stay.…”

“…These individuals have a far better understanding of the problems faced and resources available than visitors can fully appreciate during a time-limited stay. It is also essential that any recommendations made are 'culturally appropriate, sensitive to local needs and sustainable [3 ]'. What has been effective in one location can rarely be directly transplanted into another because each setting has unique challenges to overcome.…”