We will be providing a train-the-trainers, Basic Emergency Care course (BEC) developed through the WHO at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City, Belize. This is the only tertiary referral hospital in the country. This course will provide capacity building of the heath care system through training local providers in emergency care.
We aim to provide capacity building of the heath care system through training local providers in emergency care. This will, therefore, indirectly serve emergency department patients presenting to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Emergency medicine is often provided by general practitioners not formally trained in acute resuscitation. This course has had success for similar providers in Africa leading to improved health outcomes.
This course, recently developed by the World Health Organization, focuses on the stabilization and care of patients presenting with emergent conditions. It is appropriate for those practicing in rural settings and who lack formal training in emergency medicine. In 2015, the WHO successfully piloted the Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course in Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia. Eighteen faculty were trained as trainers and 35 participants completed the pilot course. Past results of the course have demonstrated relative improvement of knowledge and confidence ranging from 16-57% of providers. We now hope to bring this valuable resource to Latin America. Given then ToT model, providers will be able to continue dissemination of the course after our departure.
Dear Doximity,
Thank you very much for helping me get to Belize to teach the Basic Emergency Care course. During my week there, we trained the first ever instructor teams tasked with providing the course throughout their respective regions. Our hope is to have all emergency staff trained in Basic Emergency Care by 2020. The photos show teaching sessions, skill stations and us, prepping supplies! These Belizean providers were amazing people and I am honored to have met them. They will be amazing instructors for this course through Belize.
Thanks again for helping build emergency care capacity in Belize!
Sincerely,
Kate Moretti, MD
Global Health Fellow
Brown University
