Brief overview of the contribution by the World Health Organisation

in the upgrading of the Emeregency Medical Services

Europe

Presented by Dr. Raed ArafatWHO-EURO consultant

The European Regional Office of the World Health Organisation

The highest number of country compared to other regional WHO offices with the greatest variety of socio, econoimic and cultural settings

The European Regional Office of the World Health Organization assists 53 Member States.

Obj num

Objective MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT Countries of implementation

1 Strengthened EMS through development of appropriate strategies and tools

STANDARDISED SURVEY FOR NEEDS ASSESSMENT

ALB – MKD

(TJK in 2007)

2 Strengthening the core functions of the Health Systems in countries upon request of Gov’t

NATIONAL REFORM on EMS ALB in progress

(MKD in 2007)

3 Integrating the EMS Disaster Medicine programmes, with functional and operational links.

- PRACTICAL TOOL ON HOSPITAL CRISIS PREPAREDNESS PLAN

- Requested WORK-SHOP

MKD-SVK-GEO ARM-CZH-POL

–BUL - AUS

4 Update the situation analysis of the EMS in EU Member States

EMS repository – situation analysis in MS

All 27 EU MSs funded by

DG.SANCO

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ASSESSMENT IN EU COUNTRIES

Project

Implemented by: Emergency Medical Services Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe,

Barcelona office.

Commissioned by: European Commission- DG Sanco (Health & Consumer Protection

Directorate).Duration: March 2007 – February 2008

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

• To improve the understanding of emergency medical services structures and organizational arrangements and

their linkages with national crisis management structures.

• To learn differences between the European EMS, to identify gaps and potential ways to improve standardization and

cross border inter-operability of systems.

• Research done at EU level: all EU member states are invited to actively participate.

TARGETS: EU MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS, PATIENTS ACCESSING EMS

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

1. To develop a standardized template for collection of general information and data on EMS.

2. To collect data on EMS in European Union member states, according to approved template.

3. To map existing institutional, educational and human resources capacity around EU member states.

WORK DONE UNTIL NOW…Effort in the drafting of the STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE AS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION PACKAGE

• A draft questionnaire was designed by EMS experts

• This draft questionnaire will be presented at a workshop on “in Bratislava, Slovakia on 14-15 June.

• National Counterparts appointed by the Ministry of Health of each EU member states will finally approve, compile and validate the final version of the questionnaire.

• Questionnaire composed of 5 chapters: LEGISLATION & FINANCING, OUT-OF-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE, IN-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE, EDUCATION, NATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

Chapter 2, Question 5

Glossary:

Securiy emergencies

Rescue emergencies

Definition:

Define national coverage

Comments (max. 1000 characters):

YES NO

Access to the emergency system

5.1 Is there, in your country, a telephone number for medical emergencies with national coverage?

If yes, which is the number?

5.2 The dispatch center behind this telephone number can cover:

Only medical emergencies

All emergencies: medical and non medical such as security or rescue

Chapter 2, Question 6

Glossary: Definition:

Comments (max. 1000 characters):

6. Dialing 112 in your country, the telephone call is diverted to:

Access to the emergency system

Police

Medical emergencies

All emergencies

Others (plase specify)

No diversion at all

Chapter 2, Question 7

Glossary: Definition:

Calling an emergency number free of charge means calling without the need of inserting coins, if public phones, or without the need of having credit in your private mobile phone.

Calling an emergency number unconditioned to external factors means that you do not need to dial any national or regional code before the emergency number.

Comments (max. 1000 characters):

Access to the emergency system

7.1 Is calling 112 or other emergencies numbers free of charge? YES NO

7.2 Is calling 112 or other emergencies numbers unconditioned? NOYES

7.3 Can the emergency numbers handle calls in english language? NOYES

7.4 Can the emergency numbers handle calls in french language? YES NO

UP-COMING ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE PROJECT

Once standardized template is approved (June 14-15), effort will be diverted to its compilation by each National Counterpart.

Methodology usedDevelopment of a new web based electronic tool which will facilitate communication among countries under the co-ordination of WHO

WHO will perform brief country visits in most countries with difficulties in compiling the data collection.

PERSPECTIVE FOR THE FUTURE

• A comprehensive analysis of EMS in EU member states

• Recommendations and possibility of building new networks withing the EMS systems.

• Follow-up: European Commission will fund future project: Framework for an Emergency Medical Services inter-country collaboration in preparedness and management of crisis in EU and bordering countries. Years 2008-09

Possibility for assessment in EU bordering and “accession countries”

WHO Regional Office for Europe

Contact Person: Dr. Enrico Davoli

Programme Manager Emergency Medical Services eda@es.euro.who.int

Programme of Emergency Medical Services

Division of Country Health Systems

WHO office – BARCELONA - Spain