Name of the project: Medical Response to Major Incidents and Disasters

Customer institution: Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine

Funding source: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

About the project:

The Medical Response to Major Accidents and Disasters (Cro MRMI) course includes lectures and practical training using simulation exercises for decision-making at all levels in case of a crisis. Simulation exercises are performed on the MACSIM® system (MAss Casualty SIMulation), a science-based simulation system aimed at improving preparedness and response to major accidents and disasters. In addition to providing simultaneous interactive training of the entire response chain for all involved categories of participants, MACSIM® also contains tools for testing and ensuring the quality of preparation, organization and performance of the course, as well as a tool for scientific evaluation at all levels of responses required during simulation exercises.

Simulation exercises are performed based on a given scenario and under the supervision of an instructor. This advanced simulation course model simulates the entire chain of patient care and management in a major incident situation. All this includes the incident scenario, the response of the medical dispatch unit, triage and care at the incident scene, transport of the injured, hospital departments, hospital command group and regional crisis headquarters. For the simulation model, patient cards were created that provide all relevant information about the current condition of the victims according to the clinical findings of real victims of a major incident whose injuries were assessed based on two injury severity scoring scales (ISS and RTS). This ensures that the time between the occurrence of injuries and optimal treatment can be estimated. During the course, triage categories are assigned to patient cards in real-time, medical procedures are performed, and patients are transported from the accident scene to hospital wards. All procedures performed are recorded throughout the entire process, and at the end of the simulation exercise, it is possible to evaluate the performance of all workplaces where patients were taken care of.

Project objective: Education of medical professionals for an organized, adequate, timely and coordinated response to major accidents and disasters.

Expected project results: Introducing participants to the organization of work during major incident managing, testing their decision-making abilities in crises and their teamwork abilities when applying standard operating procedures.

Total project amount: EUR 317,319.06

Relevant links: 

The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund.

The project is co-financed by the European Union.

INTERREG IPA-CBC HR-BA-ME182

Partners

Federal Ministry of Health of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine and Ministry of Health of Montenegro

Total project value

EUR 865,767.09

Subsidy amount

EUR 735,902.03

Project implementation period

October 2017 – April 2020

Short project description

The NeurNet project – Care management network for patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and patients with late stage Parkinson’s disease started in October 2017, as part of cross-border cooperation INTERREG IPA-CBC HR-BA-ME182. The objective of the NeurNet project is to improve the quality and availability of services for patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and patients with late stage Parkinson’s disease through the establishment of a network of reference centres and hospitals connected with modern ICT technologies that will maximize the capacity of the University Hospital Dubrava as the reference centre and the transfer of knowledge and good practice to the project beneficiary healthcare institutions in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The total value of the project is EUR 865,767.09, and it is implemented in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Health of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the lead partner and the Ministry of Health of Montenegro and the Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine. The value of the Croatian component amounts to EUR 362,850.40, with each partner participating in co-financing with a total of 15 percent of own funds.

The healthcare institutions included in the project are the Split Clinical Hospital Centre, Zadar General Hospital, Dubrovnik General Hospital, General Hospital “Dr. Josip Benčević” Slavonski Brod and the General County Hospital in Vukovar and the Croatian Veterans Hospital in Croatia, the Croatian Hospital “Dr. fra. Mato Nikolić” Nova Bila, University Clinical Hospital Mostar and University Clinical Centre Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Clinical Centre of Montenegro and Hospital Bar in Montenegro. These institutions will be equipped with EEG devices, IT and video and audio communication equipment, which will enable accurate diagnosis, subsequent communication and medical data transfer between the hospital and the reference centre. The reference centre workers will thus obtain complete insight into the patient’s condition without the need for patient transport and related complications. In cases where physical transportation of patients to the reference centre is required, patients will come with complete and accurate diagnosis, ready for treatment. This will ensure the maximum utilization and replication of the capacity and expertise of the University Hospital Dubrava throughout the programme area, thus increasing the quality and availability of services for patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and patients with late stage Parkinson’s disease, while reducing their unnecessary transport, stress and health risks.

Indicators of successful implementation of the project are the establishment of an ICT network for the treatment of patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and patients with late stage Parkinson’s disease, education and training for 30 neurologists throughout the programme area and 200 patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and patients with late stage Parkinson’s disease who will be treated with new equipment and established network. The project duration is until 30 April 2020.

Project name: Teletransfusion

Customer institution: Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine

Funding source: Recovery and Resilience Mechanism 2021 – 2026, NextGenerationEU

About the project:

Transfusion medicine represents a significant impact on the comprehensive process of patient treatment. The number of transfusion medicine residents in the Republic of Croatia is in a linear decline in all cities and hospitals with transfusion departments. By using the telemedicine platform that enables remote interpretation of pre-transfusion and prenatal examinations, this project will ensure more rational usage of available human resources and services of transfusion medicine specialists. It will also reduce the number of necessary on-duties by providing support to all stakeholders networked in the Teletransfusion project.

Project objective:

Connecting hospital transfusion centres on the territory of the Republic of Croatia and digitalizing the health diagnostic process which will enable telemedicine transfusion service 24 hours a day.

Expected project results:

Purchased medical and computer equipment for digital recording and creation of digital findings for 35 telemedicine specialists and access centres.

Total project amount: HRK 14,916,854.00

Project implementation period: February 1, 2022 – June 15, 2023.

Relevant links: https://planoporavka.gov.hr/

Project name: Telecordis

Customer institution: Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine

Funding source: Recovery and Resilience Mechanism 2021 – 2026, NextGenerationEU

About the project:

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels or cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world, while in the Republic of Croatia, they are the cause of 45% of all death outcomes. The population over the age of 65 is the most affected, and at the same time, this population is in the highest risk group of mortality from COVID-19. The continental part of the Republic of Croatia, including rural areas, has higher mortality rates than the coastal part, related to the fact that they don’t have a cardiology specialist in their local clinics or basic diagnostic procedures (such as Holter device), and that patients must travel to the nearest city where such services are provided. However, residents of island areas are also at risk, and due to their geographical distance, specialist cardiovascular services are difficult to access. That problem is especially present for the elderly and less mobile population and requires the organization of transportation to a specialist centre or outpatient clinic where this service is provided. In most cases, this increases costs for medical healthcare for patients, and at the same time, medical personnel at all levels of healthcare are not used optimally. Therefore, the project’s main purpose is to increase the availability of specialist cardiology services to the population in rural and island areas remotely using telemedicine.

Project objective:

Digitalization of the health diagnostic process will enable modernized and accessible specialist cardiology service at the primary health care level, as well as timely diagnosis of patients and improvement of the efficiency of specialist doctors.

Expected project results:

Medical and IT equipment for ECG Holter monitors, NIBP Holter monitors, spirometry and 12-channel ECG services were procured and installed in 40 locations of outpatient clinics in remote and rural areas that do not have cardiology medical services, as well as in four specialist telemedicine centres that will remain diagnostic services.

Total project amount: HRK 5,181,770.00

Project implementation period: March 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023.

Relevant links: https://planoporavka.gov.hr/