Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Whitefield, hosted the third Annual State-Level Emergency Medicine (EM) Conference - EM-Karnataka 2023 from September 21 to 24. The theme of the conference was RACE (Research, Advances, Critical thinking and Education). The conference included two days of pre-conference workshops, multiple thematic scientific sessions by eminent speakers, panel discussion, and various competitions which were very engaging.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka, and Dr. Kantha S, Former First Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Chairperson of Vydehi Group of Institutions Mrs. Kalpaja D A and Dr. Mahesh Kottapalli, adviser, VIMS and RC, were also present.
Speaking at the event, the Karnataka Minister for health and family welfare, emphasized the importance of the golden hour in cases of medical emergency, to help save precious lives in the nick of time. “EM is an emerging field and Karnataka is a pioneer and trail-blazer“ he added.
Mr. Rao said that the importance of emergency medicine became more well-known and acute during COVID-19 years, and medical students must pay more attention to it. “The very thrust of medical science is emergency medicine where patients are caught in a life-or-death battle. We came to understand during the brutal waves of COVID-19. All government medical colleges already have emergency wings. The need of the hour is to improve quality and effectively train medical professionals in this regard,” he said.
The EM-Karnataka 2023 is the third annual state-level emergency medicine conference. Mrs. Kalpaja DA, threw light on the emerging trends in EM and how hospitals and medical institutions should take this up on priority as it helps in acting as lifesaver. “Emergency medicine is a medical specialty that equips doctors with the knowledge and skills required to care for people with life-threatening or urgent healthcare needs. There should be a target-driven awareness drive about emergency medicine among the people. COVID-19 brought the whole world face to face with emergency treatment during those tough times. All hospitals must understand the importance of such exercises” Mrs. Kalpaja added.
Dr. Kottapalli, said extensive deliberations were held at the conference on EM fundamentals, peripheral nerve block, simulation in airway and mechanical ventilation and resuscitology, primary and emerging areas of interest to any medical institution. “I feel that each city must have at least level three trauma care centres as more and more people are treated in EM units. Survival chances of a patient starts dimming if a patient is taken to a nursing home instead of an emergency-care unit in acute situations. Hence, the curriculum, too, should be designed to teach this as a priority”, he said.
The event saw more than 10 scientific sessions with domain experts weighing in on core subjects with their insight and experience. The conference was attended by more than 250 emergency physicians and residents from all over the country.
