***image1***The bombing of a U.S. military dining facility in Mosul caused a late December influx of critically wounded servicemembers to arrive at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center – once again, testing our ability to handle the mission.
On Dec. 22, a bus delivered eight patients to us who were so severely injured that they were required to be on ventilators and had open abdominal, head and extremity wounds. We operated on them immediately upon arrival; several were medically evacuated stateside within a few hours. Our surgeons, anesthetists and other operating room staff took care of patients as quickly as they could, one after the other, for hours on end. The laboratory, blood bank, radiology and intensive care personnel had an equally large load of critical tasks. Chaplains and liaisons began the constant communication with units and families desperate to hear about their Soldiers and loved ones. All of this needed to be done immediately, for this was just the first load of patients.
It was a challenge, especially when you consider that it happened during the holiday season. A significant number of our staff was on leave. Some, however, like our only spine surgeon specialist, were too mission-essential to spare. Those people began their holidays when time permitted.
We had doctors doing jobs that they normally don’t perform. For instance, our chief pediatrician was triaging wounded patients as they entered the emergency room. It really was the quintessential team effort, which is what it takes to succeed in these types of situations. It also requires learning from your experiences.
First, we are constantly communicating with the U.S. hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. The doctors call and e-mail us with specifics of what is coming while the patients are still en route. We had all of the operating rooms ready and staffed when the patients arrived. There was no calling people in and waiting while we set up. We had access to the patient information from the Air Force evacuation system hours before they arrived, so patients were triaged, pre-admitted and even assigned rooms before they landed. When they get off the ambulance or bus, there was no delay while someone “decided” where they should go. We developed pre-printed orders for the wards and the Intensive Care Unit. Once the doctors saw the patients, it was a simple matter of checking the boxes of what they need, and crossing off what each individual may not need. Constant preparation and communication prevents the LRMC staff from ever feeling truly overwhelmed by the enormity of the task.
In addition to the 16,000, “downrange” patients with disease conditions and injuries not caused by combat, approximately 4,000 battle-injured patients have arrived here since the War in Iraq began. LRMC has faced significant surges of casualties during the battles in Fallujah, the Chinook shoot-down, the United Nations bombing and the attack in Mosul.
These tragedies will never become routine and we will never become complacent. Our job is to give the best care possible. The entire staff at the LRMC believes the best way to live up to our motto, “Selfless Service,” is to always be ready.
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***image1***The bombing of a U.S. military dining facility in Mosul caused a late December influx of critically wounded servicemembers to arrive at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center – once again, testing our ability to handle the mission.
On Dec. 22, a bus delivered eight patients to us who were so severely injured that they were required to be on ventilators and had open abdominal, head and extremity wounds. We operated on them immediately upon arrival; several were medically evacuated stateside within a few hours. Our surgeons, anesthetists and other operating room staff took care of patients as quickly as they could, one after the other, for hours on end. The laboratory, blood bank, radiology and intensive care personnel had an equally large load of critical tasks. Chaplains and liaisons began the constant communication with units and families desperate to hear about their Soldiers and loved ones. All of this needed to be done immediately, for this was just the first load of patients.
It was a challenge, especially when you consider that it happened during the holiday season. A significant number of our staff was on leave. Some, however, like our only spine surgeon specialist, were too mission-essential to spare. Those people began their holidays when time permitted.
We had doctors doing jobs that they normally don’t perform. For instance, our chief pediatrician was triaging wounded patients as they entered the emergency room. It really was the quintessential team effort, which is what it takes to succeed in these types of situations. It also requires learning from your experiences.
First, we are constantly communicating with the U.S. hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. The doctors call and e-mail us with specifics of what is coming while the patients are still en route. We had all of the operating rooms ready and staffed when the patients arrived. There was no calling people in and waiting while we set up. We had access to the patient information from the Air Force evacuation system hours before they arrived, so patients were triaged, pre-admitted and even assigned rooms before they landed. When they get off the ambulance or bus, there was no delay while someone “decided” where they should go. We developed pre-printed orders for the wards and the Intensive Care Unit. Once the doctors saw the patients, it was a simple matter of checking the boxes of what they need, and crossing off what each individual may not need. Constant preparation and communication prevents the LRMC staff from ever feeling truly overwhelmed by the enormity of the task.
In addition to the 16,000, “downrange” patients with disease conditions and injuries not caused by combat, approximately 4,000 battle-injured patients have arrived here since the War in Iraq began. LRMC has faced significant surges of casualties during the battles in Fallujah, the Chinook shoot-down, the United Nations bombing and the attack in Mosul.
These tragedies will never become routine and we will never become complacent. Our job is to give the best care possible. The entire staff at the LRMC believes the best way to live up to our motto, “Selfless Service,” is to always be ready.