Wednesday 27th October 1999 |
BETTER MANAGEMENT OF POST CRASH CARE IS NEEDED TO REDUCE EU ROAD DEATHS AND DISABILITY
Executive Summary
A new ETSC review compiled by leading medical experts in Europe concludes that several thousand road deaths across the EU might be prevented by optimal post-impact care. The state of the art review of post impact care recommends a series of actions at EU and national levels. The key conclusions are:
Professor Walter Buylaert, Chairman of ETSC's Post Impact Care Working Party said: "The health sector has a key role to play in reducing the number of deaths and disabilities following road crashes. While optimal post impact care is a relatively under-researched road safety strategy, studies show that the quality and effectiveness of emergency medical care is fundamental to the chance and quality of survival." Professor Herman Delooz, President of the European Society for Emergency Medicine and a member of ETSC's Working Party said: "If we are going to realise the ultimate goal of avoiding preventable post crash death, limiting injury severity and re-integrating the crash victim into the community, then this area needs much greater attention from health professionals and policymakers than it has received to date." The key recommendations of the review to improve the chain of help to patients injured in road crashes are directed both at the EU and Member States. They include:
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For further information contact: | |
ETSC Brussels office: | + 32 (0)2 230 4106 info@etsc.be |
Professor Walter Buylaert: | +32 (0) 9240 2742 |
Professor Herman Delooz: | +32 (0) 1634 3927 |
ETSC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of members of ETSC's Post Impact Care Working Party to this review: |
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Prof. Walter Buylaert (Chairman) | Prof. Anne-Lise Christensen |
Prof. Herman Delooz | Prof. R. Jan A. Goris |
Prof. Bernard Nemitz | Prof. Michael Nerlich |
Prof. Jon Nicholl | Prof. Peter Sefrin |
Prof. Franco Servadei | Prof. Hans von Holst |
Prof. David Yates | |
Note:
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