The Tuscan Emergency Medicine Initiative

• Published in: Annals of emergency medicine Vol. 50; no. 6; pp. 726 - 732
• Main Authors: Ban, Kevin M., MD, Pini, Ricardo, MD, Sanchez, Leon D., MD, MPH, Weiner, Scott G., MD, MPH, Anderson, Phillip D., MD, Grifoni, Stefano, MD, Ciottone, Greg R., MD, Edlow, Jonathan A., MD, Kelly, Sean P., MD, Galli, Laura, Freitas, Rob, Rosen, Peter, MD, Berni, Gian Carlo, MD, Wolfe, Richard E., MD, Gensini, Gianfranco, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.12.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Curriculum; Education, Medical - organization & administration; Emergency; Emergency and intensive care: techniques, logistics; Emergency Medical Services - organization & administration; Emergency Medicine - education; Faculty, Medical; Forensic medicine; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Intensive care unit. Emergency transport systems. Emergency, hospital ward; International Cooperation; Internship and Residency - organization & administration; Italy; Medical sciences; Program Development - methods; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; United States; United States; Italy; Intensive care; Resuscitation; Emergency
• ISSN: 0196-0644; 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2007.05.023

Italy lacks standardized specialty training in emergency medicine. There is no system of national or regional accreditation of the knowledge base or skill set of physicians working in regional emergency departments (ED), which results in variability of emergency medical care delivery not only between hospital EDs but also within individual EDs. To address this need, the Tuscan Minister of Health chose to develop a partnership with emergency medicine specialists from the United States to help expedite the growth of the specialty in Tuscany. The collaboration called the Tuscan Emergency Medicine Initiative consists of the regional health care service, the Tuscan university system, Harvard Medical International, and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine. We describe that effort and process, with an expectation of more than 625 physicians completing the program by June 2008.