RESEARCH COLLABORATION. The Center for Disaster Medicine at the University of Gothenburg will be part of a new national network for health crises. The Center for Health Crises at the Karolinska Institute is bringing together universities and colleges in a network to collectively develop the interdisciplinary expertise needed for issues related to health crises.
The Center for Health Crises, through a regulatory letter from the Government, was tasked with implementing measures to support and enhance collaboration between universities and colleges in their work on health crises. Through this new national network, the aim is to contribute to better societal preparedness for various future health crises. The network will be activated during crises but will also collaborate between crises to enhance Sweden’s readiness.
As part of this effort, a survey was recently conducted to identify the activities related to health crises and the expertise available at Swedish institutions. In December of last year, experts from 15 different institutions met to establish the new network. Eric Carlström, a professor in nursing science and a researcher in health and crisis management at the University of Gothenburg, represented the university at the meeting and is also part of the Center for Disaster Medicine (CKM) at the University of Gothenburg.
What are the main tasks of the network?
“The network will help us highlight the best resources from the country’s various institutions concerning knowledge areas related to health crises. While it’s easy to think of pandemics, this equally applies to other threats that affect us, such as our ability to cope with cold or prolonged heatwaves, water contamination after floods, major chemical accidents, explosions, major accidents, and injuries in armed conflicts,” says Eric Carlström.
However, it can also involve organization and logistics to handle major events, he adds. This includes methods for hospital evacuation and “surge capacity,” meaning how we can allocate resources to parts of society that are not part of the health care sector when needs exceed our capabilities.
Albert Gyllencreutz Castellheim, associate professor and university lecturer in the Department of Clinical Sciences, senior consultant at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
Karen Da Costa, Ph.D. in international studies, university lecturer in human rights, Department of Global Studies.
Yohan Robinson, director of the Center for Disaster Medicine, head of the total defense department at the Defense Medicine Center in Gothenburg.
Fabian Taube, associate professor in experimental occupational and environmental medicine, adjunct lecturer at the Department of Medicine, medical research advisor at the Defense Medicine Center in Gothenburg.
Knowledge, technology, and logistics from all corners of society
“At the meeting, a selection of specialized knowledge in the field was gathered, including technicians, social scientists, medical professionals, nursing scientists, logisticians, and educators. Each such major area is divided into numerous specialties, as became evident during the meeting. A joint exercise of a crisis scenario also illustrated the diverse knowledge present at the table and the potential that universities collaborating can offer,” explains Eric Carlström.
The Center for Disaster Medicine (CKM) has several employees with extensive research in areas relevant to national risks, threats, and events. What can CKM contribute to the network?
“The center’s focus on total defense includes interorganizational collaboration during crises, trauma, war injuries, logistics, triage, ethics, exercise techniques, staff work, and surge capacity, where we are at the forefront of international research,” says Eric Carlström.
BY: SUSANNE LJ WESTERGREN
