Anesthesiologists from ASEAN member countries and other cooperation partners met in Vientiane recently to review their work in the sector and discuss methods of improving patient care and providing safe anesthetics.
The participants learned how to use different models of anesthetics machines as well as troubleshooting common problems and discussing improvements to patient safety.
The workshop also provided a great opportunity for participants to meet and talk with experts in the field from Laos, Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korean and France, including anesthesiologists and also their anesthesia equipment as well as biomedical engineers.
The workshop was supported by the Anesthesia Fellowship at the Bangkok Anesthesia Regional Training Centre (BARTC).
President of the Lao Society of Anesthesiologists Association, Associate Prof. Dr Oukham Phanthaly spoke to Vientiane Timeson Saturday after the 3rd annual workshop entitled improvement of quality in emergency medical services (EMS).
He said the workshop stressed the importance of anesthesiologists in regard to the provision of emergency medical services before, during and after surgery.
Dr Oukham explained that anesthesiology is the practice of medicine dedicated to the total care of the patient before, during and after surgery. Anesthesiologists are also experts in resuscitation, pain management and intensive care.
The aim of this workshop was to present the strategic approaches for the improvement of quality in emergency medical services (EMS) before and after surgery because EMS is integrated within the health care system and anesthetists are obliged to respond to medical emergencies, he said
The workshop aimed to teach the participants various aspects of anesthesia machine basics and safety features, how to identify equipment problems, locating the cause and determining workable solutions, including the changing experiences of patients.
Anesthesiologists from Laos and ASEAN member countries as well as partner countries reported the progress of their activities for many sub-working groups to work on anesthesia in intra-abdominal trauma, the common airway problems in pediatric anesthesia, ethics and research for anesthesiologists.
Also examined were approaches for patients who are on antithrombotic agents, anesthesia for morbid obesity , techniques in inhalation anesthesia, minimising blood loss in liver surgery, neuro-anesthesia for non-neuroanesthesiologists and anesthesia for obstetric bleeding patients.
Fellowships and other grants are on offer to young anesthesiologists, aiming to strengthen the international capacity to deliver safe anesthesia and effective pain relief.
The fellowship also aims to develop and make available quality educational materials for anesthesiologists.
According to the Lao Society of Anesthesiologists Association, in 1996, Laos had only three anesthesiologists. Currently, there are more than 80 anesthesiologists in Laos.
Source: Vientiane Times
