Current trends of preparation of medical specialists at the remote industrial facilities in the Kyrgyz Republic

Objective: Remote healthcare (RH) is currently an important area in practical medicine.Improving and maintaining the health of the population in remote areas is a priority of the state.To achieve this goal, the training of medical personnel at remote industrial facilities (RIF) is crucial.The preparation of medical specialists (MS) for work at RIF in the mountainous areas in Kyrgyz Republic is lacking.The objective of the study was to review the current evidence on training of MS for work at remote industrial facilities in mountainous areas and assess their key components.Methods: The literature search was done in electronic databases: PubMed, Elibrary and websites of medical journals (High Altitude Medicine and Biology, Journal of Travel Medicine), and organizations -International Commission For Alpine Rescue Medical Commission.Overall, 75 articles were identified initially, 20 articles met inclusion criteria.Results: RH is a complex system for organizing medical care in areas located far away from populated areas.The British system for training medical personnel for remote locations served as a pattern to the further development of similar programs in other countries.There are various types of courses regarding RH in the world.Current trends of preparation of MS at the RIF include practical learning of algorithms of American Heart Association and other international guidelines.Online teaching methods are widely used for training MS.There are other various types of courses regarding RH on demand.The Siberian State Medical University allied with the Center for Corporate Medicine Group of Companies in Tomsk city, are leaders in RH in the Russian Federation.In the Kyrgyz Republic, there is no special program for RH.MS working at remote industrial sites in the mountains have to study a standard course of emergency medicine.It is crucial to develop a special remote medicine course for the preparation of medical staff for RIF in Kyrgyz Republic.Conclusion: Remote healthcare is a complex task demanding special training of a medical specialist for work in remote areas, building infrastructure, logistics, legal aspects.Mountain medicine is a part of RH and it poses a challenge to public health.Common medical problems at RIF in the mountains are acute mountain sickness, high altitude pulmonary edema, hypothermia, and traumas that require immediate treatment and evacuation.MS must have professional competencies, leadership, communication, and professional skills in emergency care, mountain medicine, infection control, occupational medicine etc.There is a big need to upgrade the skills of MS in RH in the Kyrgyz Republic to international standards.