A Preliminary Survey of Emergency Medicine in 12 Asian Countries

Chung,  Jae Myung; Wang,  Soon Joo; Ahn,  Moo Up; Park,  Jae Hyoung; Yoo,  Ki Chul; Park,  Joon Suk; Kang,  Jae Gu; Arnold,  Jeffrey L

J Korean Soc Emerg Med > Volume 10(4); 1999 > Article

Original Article

Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 1999;10(4): 549-559.

A Preliminary Survey of Emergency Medicine in 12 Asian Countries

Jae Myung Chung, Soon Joo Wang, Moo Up Ahn, Jae Hyoung Park, Ki Chul Yoo, Joon Suk Park, Jae Gu Kang, Jeffrey L Arnold

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To assess the current level of development of emergency medicine (EM) systems in Asia. METHOD: Survey of EM professionals from 12 Asian countries during a 90-day period from August to November 1998. 12 EM professionals from 12 Asian countries completed the survey. All participants were physicians. 7 participants (58%) gave presentations at an international EM conference during the study period. Respondents completed a 103 question questionnaire about the status of EM specialty, academic, patient care, information and management systems and the factors influencing the future of EM in their countries.
RESULTS:
92% of respondents stated that their countries have hospital-based emergency departments (ED). More than 80% of respondents reported that their countries have EMS systems and ED systems for trauma care and patient transfer. More than 70% stated that their countries have national EM organizations, EM research, national EMS activation phone numbers, ED systems for pediatric emergency care, emergency physician (EP) training in ACLS and ATLS and peer review. More than 60% reported official recognition of EM as an independent specialty status, ED triage systems and systems for customer service. More than 50% reported EM residency training programs, EM journals and EP ability to perform rapid sequence intubation (RSI). 50% reported EP ability to perform thrombolysis for acute MI and 33% reported EP ultrasonography. 92% felt that a lack of funding posed a moderate or great obstacle to the future development of EM in their countries.
CONCLUSION:
Many essential systems of EM now exist throughout Asia. In the systems of administration and emergency medical information in many countries, there are some parts to be developed further.