COTS Hosts Ukrainian Ministry of Health Delegates
Last Wednesday, October 16th, members of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health visited the Columbus Medical Association to learn about the COTS.
The visit is made possible by the Grove City Rotary who sponsors a leadership exchange program through Open World. This is a ten-day program which brings emerging leaders from Eurasia to the United States to engage with professional counterparts. The program was established in 1999 to foster cultural and political ties with Russia but has since expanded outreach to other countries of the post-Soviet region. The Ukraine has been undergoing an extensive healthcare reform over the past few years after the inherited Soviet system failed. The opportunity to share knowledge that might potentially help an entire country improve their health practices was exciting for COTS.
After introductions, the seven Ukrainian medical professionals were presented with a comprehensive overview of COTS and it’s three main branches: trauma, disaster preparedness, and emergency services. COTS manages 41% of Ohio and is responsible for educating and preparing communities both urban and rural. The trauma branch is handles a trauma registry containing 41 facilities and writes guidelines and expectations in regards to trauma care. With disaster preparedness, COTS holds multiple training exercises throughout the year and assists with safety planning for public events. In addition, they also work with EMS on education and coordinating rerouting best practices.
After the presentation, the visitors got a chance to ask questions ranging from how and who goes through data in the trauma registry to who pays for COTS and how nurses are trained in America. The visit ended with Columbus Medical Association CEO Dr. Robert Falcone handing out his email for any future questions and a selfie to remember the occasion.
