European Medical Transfers: Specialized Clinic Access

Switzerland Mobilizes International Aid for Severe Burn Victims

As of January 2, 2024, Switzerland is coordinating the urgent transfer of approximately 50 severely burned patients too specialized care facilities across Europe, leveraging the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM) and extensive international support.

Switzerland’s healthcare system is facing an unprecedented challenge in providing specialized care for a large number of patients with severe burns. while Swiss hospitals in Lausanne (CHUV) and Zurich (University Hospital) are designated to provide this highly specialized medical care according to the intercantonal planning for highly specialized medicine (MAS), they lack the capacity to handle the influx of patients requiring perhaps months of treatment.

Initially, Swiss hospitals were able to provide initial care to the injured. Though, a senior official stated that the scale of the crisis necessitates a broader response. Following offers of support from numerous countries and the EU Emergency Response Coordination Center (ERCC), Switzerland formally requested assistance through the EUCPM. This assistance includes specialized care beds and air medical transport capabilities.

Did you know? – The EUCPM is a voluntary mechanism allowing EU member states-and some non-EU countries like Switzerland-to coordinate responses to disasters within and outside of Europe.

International Medical Teams and Coordination

To bolster local resources, specialized medical teams – known as Burns Assessment Teams – from France and Italy are currently supporting hospitals in Valais and Lausanne. These teams are assisting with patient assessment and coordinating transport logistics. Two ERCC liaison officers arrived in Switzerland today to facilitate the ongoing coordination efforts.

The national disaster medicine network, KATAMED (formerly the coordinated Medical Service), has developed a patient transfer strategy prioritizing admission to specialized burn treatment centers, either within Switzerland or abroad.This strategy builds upon procedures already under development as part of KATAMED’s ongoing restructuring.

The Federal Office for Civil Protection’s National Alert and Event Management Division (NEOC) is coordinating medical evacuations in collaboration with hospitals in the Canton of Valais, specialized hospitals in Lausanne and Zurich, other hospitals assisting patients from Crans-Montana, Rega (the Swiss Air-Rescue service), the ERCC, and other involved organizations.

Urgent Transfers Based on Medical Criteria

Hospitals are reporting patients requiring transfer,and flights are being arranged using Rega’s air and helicopter ambulances,as well as partnerships with national and European providers,based on available capacity at specialized hospitals within the EU. both Swiss residents and non-residents are included in the transfer plan to ensure optimal medical care.

Patient allocation to available care facilities is determined solely by medical criteria, considering the severity of their conditions and the nature of their injuries. “Medical decisions are paramount in this process,” a spokesperson confirmed. transfers must occur within the next 48 hours,while patients remain stable enough for transport. Authorities emphasize the importance of families understanding these criteria and the urgency of the situation, acknowledging the difficulty of the circumstances.

Pro tip – Severe burns require specialized care, including wound management, infection control, and extensive rehabilitation; general hospitals often lack the resources for this level of treatment.

Expanding the Network of Care

Approximately 50 transfers are anticipated by Sunday, January 4th. The majority of patients will be transported to neighboring countries – germany, France, Italy, and Belgium – with additional capacity offered by other nations. Given the high number of severely burned patients, transfers to more distant countries are also being considered.

To date, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Austria, and spain have offered assistance.

Why did this happen? A large number of patients sustained severe burns following an incident in crans-Montana, Switzerland, overwhelming the country’s specialized burn care capacity.

Who is involved? The Swiss government, Swiss hospitals (CHUV, University Hospital Zurich), the EUCPM, the ERCC, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Spain, Rega, and KATAMED are all involved in the response.

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