Update from the Latin American Federation of Emergency Medicine

The Latin American Federation of Emergency Medicine (FLAME) is an association comprised of National Scientific Organizations of specialists in emergency medicine in Latin America.

The mission of FLAME is “to promote education, research, scientific development and healthcare practice among physicians practicing emergency medicine in Latin America.” FLAME aspires to be recognized as the voice of Latin America for quality emergency medicine, working in conjunction with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM).

FLAME is dedicated to the advancement of emergency medical care in the region. In order to fulfill this goal the development of the national societies of emergency medicine is essential, as the development of emergency medical care is simultaneous to the development of these national societies.

A key role of FLAME is to support these national societies, particularly those in the earlier stages of developing emergency medical care and systems. For example, Ecuador and Bolivia in South America and El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala in Central America.

In Latin America most of the emergency physicians have poor working conditions, with many of them having two or three jobs, and working over 70 hours a week with low salaries. It is critical we all work together to improve this situation and create dedicated groups to advise and support the local societies to address and overcome these challenges.

At present FLAME is working together with IFEM WHO Taskforce to organize the first Facilitators of the Basic Emergency Course in Latin America. These initial facilitators will teach the future facilitators in every country with the objective of organizing the first local courses in 2021.

Over the past two years communication between Spanish speaking IFEM members and FLAME has greatly improved due to the translation of a number of IFEM resources, newsletters and website into Spanish.

In November 2020 the first International Course of Emergency Medicine was organized by FLAME with over 3000 attendees.

2020 FLAME published documents

  • 2020 ” LATIN AMERICAN CONSENSUS ON CARDIO- PULMONARY RESUSCITATION”. Latin American Federation of Emergency Medicine (FLAME). García DE, Fosco M J , Grajales López D, Gómez Herrera W, Ramírez ChaparroLMBuitragoCarazoO, et al.  Rev Educ Investig Emerg . 2020
  • 2020: “KEY POINTS ABOUT COVID-19 IN THE EMERGENCY SERVICES: PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE YOUR CARE IN LATIN AMERICA ” Julián-Jiménez A, García DE, González del Castillo J, Penna Guimarães H, García- Lamberechts EJ, Cortés Marín CM, et al. Emergencies 2020 ; 32: 00: 00 .
  • 2020: “ ABOUT HOW THE SPANISH HOSPITAL EMERGENCY SERVICES FACED THE FIRST WAVE OF PATIENTS DURING THE COVID 2020 PANDEMIC ” . Julián- Jiménez A, García DE. Emergencies 2020; 32: 307-308
  • 2020: ” 2nd DOCUMENT-AUGUST 2020:” UPDATE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION IN CASES OF INFECTION BY THE NEW CORONAVIRUS (SARS-CoV-2) ” . García Darío E, Julián-Jiménez Agustín on behalf of FLAME, GT-LATINFURG, INFURG-SEMES. //www.infurg-semes.org/
  • 2020: “RECOMENDAÇÕES EM MEDICINA DE EMERGÊNCIA AO COVID-19”. Authors: Doldán C, Ramírez L, Flores Rodríguez LE, Espínola E, Escobar E, Britez Cantero B, et al. Editor: Penna Guimaraes H, Ajeje Lobo SM, Correa Schubert DU, Dal-Pizzol F. Chapter Covid-19. García DE et al. Associação Brasileira de Medicine de Emergência (ABRAMEDE). 2020. Pages 1-548. ISBN: 9078-65-86098-06-8.
  • 2020: “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SAFETY OF HEALTH EQUIPMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED COVID-19 INFECTION”. Authors: García Darío E, Julián-Jiménez Agustín on behalf of FLAME, GT-LATINFURG, INFURG-SEMES.

//flameoficial.com/recomendaciones-para-la-seguridad-de-los-equipos-de-salud-en-pacientes-con-sospecha-de-infeccion-por-covid-19/

  • 2020: “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION IN CASES OF INFECTION BY THE NEW CORONAVIRUS (SARS-CoV-2)”. Coordinators Julián-Jiménez Agustín , García Darío E., representing the Latin American Working Group for the improvement of the care of patients with infection in the Emergency Room (GT-LATINFURG).

//flameoficial.com/recomendaciones-de-actuacion-frente-a-canes-de-infeccion-por-el-nuevo-coronavirus-sars-cov-2/

  • 2020: “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BODIES WITH SARS-COV2 INFECTION”. Authors: García Darío E, Julián-Jiménez Agustín . //flameoficial.com/recomendaciones-para-el-manejo-de-cadaveres-con-infeccion-por-sars-cov2/
  • 2020: ” CONSENSUS FOR THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPECT OR CONFIRMATION OF COVID- 19 WITHIN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ” . Authors: Doldán C Ramírez L , Flores Rodríguez LE, Espínola E, Escobar E , Britez Cantero B, et al. Reviewer: Garcia Dario E . Paraguayan Society of Medical Emergencies (SPEM).

International events and webinars

  • 2020: SUMMIT ABRAMEDE CONGRESS – CONNECTING EMERGENCIES. Brazil. President : Marcus Vinícius Melo de Andrade
  • 2020: “ WEBENNAR IBEROAMERICANO” . FLAME-SEMES. Coordinator Dario E Garcia / Agustin Julián-Jiménez
  • 2020: INTERNATIONAL CONVERSATORY: “WHAT WE LEARNED IN 9 MONTHS OF PANDEMIC” Asunción, Paraguay. Coordinators: Ariel Fretes Ruiz, Wilson Agüero.
  • 2020: INTERNATIONAL CONVERSATORY COVID-19: “CONFRONTING THEORY WITH PRACTIVE” Asunción, Paraguay. Coordinators: Ariel Fretes Ruiz, Wilson Agüero.
  • 2020: WEBENNAR “CORONAVIRUS: REAL LIFE IN EMERGENCIES AND EMERGENCIES” . FLAME – SEMES. Coordinator Dario E Garcia / Agustín Julián-Jiménez //www.go-ahead.es/es