The need for emergency medicine in India is immense, particularly in the wake of changing burden of various diseases, says Dr Tamorish Kole
What is Emergency Medicine (EM)? Many people we come across look at us quizzically when they are told what we do. This is the medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of unforeseen illness or injury. The practice of emergency medicine includes the initial evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, coordination of care among multiple providers, and disposition of any patient requiring expeditious medical, surgical or psychiatric care.
In a country with a population of 133.92 crores, the need for emergency medicine in India is immense,particularly in consideration of the changing burden of disease. We do not have the necessary manpower to provide quality emergency medical care to patients, the keyword being quality. Right to emergency medical care and Right to life are fundamental rights. But we believe Right to Quality emergency medical care should be the fundamental right. Emergency medicine training is still in its nascent stages in our country but efforts of the Society for Emergency Medicine, India and joint collaborations with the leaders in EM from the United States of America, United Kingdom and Australia, has focused on structured training in this field of Emergency Medicine. This has produced many quality emergency medicine caregivers. But due to lack of recognition, most have migrated abroad to UK and Middle East.
It is of utmost importance to understand that Emergency medicine does not begin at the doorsteps of an emergency department. It begins at your homes, on the roads, at the airports and when you’re out for a hike. Basic life support and basic emergency care if taught during medical school will help in a big way to tackle the initial minutes of an emergency. There are many organisations that go from schools to corporate offices to government bodies, teaching basic life support and first aids. Initial response from the society can help trained emergency medicine physicians in providing better outcomes for patients who have received initial help at the point of emergency.
Emergency departments of Government hospitals across India are still manned by doctors who are fresh out of medical school and has been tasked to manage sick and acutely ill patients. Having a subject on basic emergency medical care at the MBBS level will go a long way in providing initial quality emergency care to millions of patients who throng the emergency departments. Emergency Medicine was recognised as a post graduate specialty by Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2009 and by National Board of Examinations (NBE) in 2013. Though both courses are running across the country the number needed to serve the entire nation is much more than the existing emergency physicians. Government of India has now made it mandatory to have an Emergency Department in all medical colleges by 2022.
The future of emergency medicine in India is bright, but we need to embrace the physicians who are practicing it and help the field to grow and cater to our huge population.
The secret of caring for the patient is to care for the patient and build a safety net of emergency care around them.
The writer is President, Asian Society for Emergency Medicine