Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, First Medical Union hospital group and the Unbroken National Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv are improving the care of war victims and developing a rehabilitation programme for this target group. The initiative builds on existing telemedical collaboration dating back to 2022 for patients at intensive care units in Lviv.\r
In addition to its role as a patient care hub in western Ukraine, First Medical Union supports the initial and further training of medical staff from other hospitals throughout the country.\r
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Background: \r
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, First Medical Union and the Unbroken National Rehabilitation Centre need equipment for the rehabilitation of war-wounded patients and for training in the areas of trauma surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation, mental health, pain management and neurology. The medical attention provided must also address the specific challenges and treatment needs of vulnerable groups.\r
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Activities:\r
-\tPurchases of equipment and assistive devices for rehabilitation treatments, especially for patients \r
with brain or spinal injuries\r
-\tTraining in Lviv and at Charité on establishing rehabilitation programmes\r
-\tExtension of the existing telemedicine collaboration to include rehabilitative treatment situations\r
-\tTraining for trauma surgeons and theatre nurses on dealing with injury-related complications and \r
reconstructive surgery \r
-\tTraining courses and observation visits at Charité to study the treatment of patients with post- \r
intensive care syndrome\r
-\tCollaboration with the Ukrainian-German Solomiya network in order to make shared use of concepts \r
developed by the network in areas such as mental health\r
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Results: \r
Targeted rehabilitation support in the form of assistive equipment and both initial and further training in Lviv and at Charité will alleviate the effects of physical and psychological trauma. The tried-and-tested support provided through telemedicine systems promotes collaboration between medical staff as well as improving rehabilitation outcomes. Treatment strategies developed in this project also benefit rehabilitative care at other centres in Ukraine thanks to the multiplier effect of the facilities in Lviv.\r
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