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The Latest from Emergency Medicine Specialists in Lithuania

05/20/2019

By the end of 2019, a 7 step program to expose 22 Lithuanian Physicians training in the specialty of Emergency Medicine about how to manage and direct Emergency Medicine Departments in community hospitals will come to an end. With all the knowledge and experience gained, young specialists in Lithuania are joining forces to start new initiatives, to make a change and to Be that Change in Lithuania.

On April 6th Emergency Medicine residents and graduates together with their mentors gathered at the Kazickas Family Residence with a decision to unite their efforts in the form of Lithuanian Emergency Medicine Association - LieSMeD. According to Martynas Gedminas, (president of Lithuanian Association of Junior Doctors and one of Emergency Medicine residents who had an opportunity to spend 5 weeks in Cincinnati training with the Emergency Medicine experts), "We had few meetings in LieSMeD already where an active group / core id of the association is beginning to form. We're setting our priorities which would help emergency medicine in the most. Standards of care for patients in Lithuanian EDs are on top of the list," shared M. Gedminas. Long process is still ahead, but the first fruits of cooperation are already here. M. Gedminas was also eager to share that in May they hosted a united conference of Vilnius and Kaunas residents where they presented critical literature appraisals and clinical cases. This is to foster knowledge exchange between the two schools which will also translate in partnership in LieSMeD's activities. At the end of the conference an assembly was held, during which decision on the working committees of the association was made.

Few weeks ago two more Lithuanian young residents completed their 5 weeks in Cincinnati learning from the Emergency Medicine experts. They share their observations, goals and gratitude:

Audrys Kukulskis:

I'd like to emphasize Herb Loyd's and Kurt Knochel's dedication to this program. Their work invested is impossible to measure and commitment exceeds all the expectations. Thanks to them I had an opportunity not just to gain hands on experience in Emergency Medicine management, but also to work on my special project focusing on patients' experiences and their constructive feedback of Emergency Medicine services. We've already started monitoring patient satisfaction in Kaunas, started training health care providers communication skills and this experience exposed many more areas that need attention in Lithuania, such as patient advice committees, including patient satisfaction indicator in department work evaluation, complaint management and personnel training. The concept of not expecting the results from your personnel if their own needs are being ignored was a true eye opener. "University of Cincinnati uses "Design Thinking" methodology which helps them to analyze what prevents the team from reaching its potential and after identifying critical points, plan out necessary steps to fix the situation. I return home eager to join Emergency Medicine team's work and hope that my special project focusing on the patient will continue to develop and grow expanding to other areas of medicine as well.

Sarunas Maciulevicius:

I'd like to share my gratitude for the tremendous support for Emergency Medicine in Lithuania and invaluable personal experience. When first residents went to Cincinnati three years ago, I was just a freshman and didn't realize the significance of such project in Lithuania. However, residents returning from their 5 week training in Cincinnati, kept sharing their experiences and latest news. Few years later I was already analyzing Emergency Medicine issues in Lithuania using the tools provided by the specialists in the US. This opportunity to get such training in Cincinnati, helped me grow not just professionally, but personally as well. My colleagues and I enthusiastically share the knowledge and experiences with the rest of the EM professionals in Lithuania.

Both residents thank the Kazickas family Foundation, for its dedication supporting such significant causes in Lithuania.

Photo above: Lithuania's Emergency Medicine specialists' meeting at the Kazickas Family Residence

Young Emergency Medicine Residents in Cincinnati

Emergency Medicine Residents' Conference at the Vilnius University Hospital

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