Using simulation to create a unique regional ECMO program for the Greater Poland region

Background: “ECMO for Greater Poland” is a program being developed to serve the 3.5 million inhabitants of the Greater Poland region (Wielkopolska) based on an approach already implemented in the USA 1 or Qatar. 2,3 Method: The program is complex and takes full advantage of the ECMO perfusion therapy opportunities to save the life of patients in the Greater Poland region. The main implementation areas are: – treatment of patients with hypothermia; 4 – treatment of reversible severe respiratory failure; 5 – treatment of acute intoxication resulting in cardiorespiratory failure 6 or other critical conditions resulting in heart failure; – in the absence of response to treatment and eventual death, and with donor authorization, there is possible organ transplantation from a non-heart beating donor (NHBD) to another patient. 7 This led to the development of a program for donation after circulatory death (DCD). Study: The program will help to put in place a Medical Rescue System including ECMO (Figure 1). It re...