Emergency medicine expert: Poland is at an early stage of building a medical system for war

Poland is at an early stage of building a medical system for wartime – said emergency medicine expert Prof. in an interview with PAP. Robert Gałązkowski. He emphasized the need to develop staff, organize the competences of doctors and strengthen society's education.

As the PAP interlocutor noted, the experiences of recent years, including the war in Ukraine, force a change in the approach to rescue and the organization of the health care system. In his opinion, current activities are only the first stage of building a coherent model of preparation for crisis situations. – We are at the beginning of the journey – he said.

Prof. Gałązkowski, an expert in the field of emergency medicine and disaster medicine, former director of the Air Ambulance Service, currently head of the Department of Emergency Medical Services at the Medical University of Warsaw, emphasized thatOne of the basic challenges is a clear separation of the roles of military and civilian medics. He pointed out that, in accordance with international standards, battlefield medicine (TC3) is intended for the army, while civilians should be trained in the TECC system, adapted to operations outside the immediate combat zone. – The doctrine does not provide for sending civilian medics to the front line – he noted.

In his opinion the state should develop an education model based on cooperation between the civilian and military sectors. Basic medical education should be provided at universities, and the tactical component – in military structures, adequate to future tasks. – If we want it to work, we need a hybrid model – he pointed out.

The expert pointed out that building the system also requires close cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Health and medical universities. – Only then will we build a system, not a set of parallel initiatives – he emphasized.

He added that one of the key elements is the development of the instructor staff. Currently, there is a limited number of specialists with appropriate qualifications in Poland, which may hinder the dissemination of tactical medicine standards.

– Tactical medicine cannot be elite knowledge – it must become a standard – he said.

Prof. Gałązkowski noted that At the same time, it is necessary to introduce changes in educational programs so that elements of tactical medicine become common in medical education. – A team was established at the Ministry of Health to prepare changes to the teaching programs. There is a real chance that such classes will become mandatory. But the key question is: who will teach – he noted and pointed out that there is an urgent need to educate instructors, “people with clinical experience who work in the rescue system and know what a real event looks like, not just its description in a textbook.”

In his opinion, the preparation of the system cannot be limited only to medical staff. Society also plays a key role and in many cases is the first to provide help. – No rescue system will work if the witness of the incident does not take action first – he pointed out.

He also drew attention to the need to prepare hospitals to receive patients with war injuries and mass incidents. – Without the preparation of hospitals, the entire rescue chain will collapse – he said.

To sum up, prof. Gałązkowski pointed out that an effective system of medical preparation for war requires coordinated state actions, staff development and universal education.

Mira Suchodolska (PAP)

mir/akar/