Emergency medicine in Ulm enjoys a worldwide reputation. This is not least thanks to the anaesthesiologist Professor Friedrich Wilhelm Ahnefeld, who made a name for himself internationally as a pioneer of emergency medicine and rescue services. In honour of his achievements, the BINZ Foundation has established an endowed professorship at Ulm University in honour of his services.since the beginning of March. Professor Camilla Metelmann has been researching and teaching. The initiation of the Greifswald anaesthesiologist and emergency physician was celebrated at Villa Eberhardt.
The 37-year-old Medicine Professor Camilla Metelmann is not only an outstanding scientist. The new Ahnefeld Endowed Professor at Ulm University also has extensive experience in emergency medicine: on the ground, in the air and as a tele-emergency doctor. "She conducts research into innovative topics such as telemedical emergency doctor deployment or smartphone-supported alerting and resuscitation. She has a heart for teaching and is committed to the training; (akad.: ) education of the next generation of emergency physicians. She also has an excellent network," said Professor Bettina Jungwirth at the inauguration ceremony. The Medical Director of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, where the newly established Ahnefeld endowed professorship is based, introduced Metelmann. The specialist in anaesthesiology, who studied at the University of Greifswald, was qualified to teach and supervise doctoral/PhD candidates and has a diploma from the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine.
Numerous guests wore uniforms at the ceremony, all of them substitutes from blue-light organisations such as the rescue service, police and Fire service as well as the German Armed Forces. The close cooperation between rescue and security organisations in emergency medicine is a tradition in Ulm. Like the so-called rescue chain and the "Ulm suitcase", the reorganisation of cross-sector cooperation in the emergency medical services is a legacy of Professor Friedrich Wilhelm Ahnefeld (born 1924). The surgeon and anaesthesiologist, who died in 2012 and who himself worked at Ulm University Hospital, the Bundeswehrkrankenhaus BWK (military hospital) and the German Red Cross, continues to shape the organisation and work of pre-hospital care throughout Germany to this day.
The Ahnefeld endowed professorship is intended to promote emergency medicine in the long term
Professor Ahnefeld was in personal contact with the BINZ Foundation for many years, and even after his retirement he remained closely associated with the foundation for a long time as a member of the board. The endowed professorship named after him at Ulm University was created in memory of this outstanding doctor and scientist. "Endowment capital is quickly 'squandered'. That's why we opted for this sustainable solution," said Dr Hans-Dieter Lippert, chairwoman of the foundation's board of directors, at the event. Thanks to a donation, the professorship was finally endowed and established with 1.5 million euros. The BINZ Foundation, which is committed to improving rescue services and emergency medicine, was established in 1987 by Elisabeth Lehmann, née Binz, and her husband J.C. Ludwig Lehmann, also to preserve the Binz company in perpetuity.
At the event, University President Professor Michael Weber thanked the BINZ Foundation for its commitment to strengthening emergency medicine. This would not only benefit the University as a centre of research, but also the population. "The endowed professorship is an important interface to the Bundeswehrkrankenhaus (military hospital). Its mission is also to bring emergency medicine to the centre of society," said Professor Udo X. Kaisers, Executive Medical Director of the Ulm University Hospital. Medical Dean Professor Thomas Wirth recalled the times when no qualifications were required for paramedics. "Back then, it was mainly car mechanics who were employed to keep the vehicles running and transport patients to hospitals quickly," said Wirth. But thanks to Ahnefeld and the professionalisation of training he initiated, this has changed significantly.
The rescue chain is a German success story
Professor Camilla Metelmann spoke about the rescue chain in modern emergency medicine in her presentation. This emergency care model was developed by Ahnefeld in the 1960s and is also known as the "Chain of Survival" in the English-speaking world. "Good interaction between all links in the chain and first aid is crucial for the successful treatment of emergencies: this means that lay medical personnel who happen to be at the scene of an emergency are of great importance," emphasised the foundation professor. It is therefore of central importance to improve the health literacy of the population, said the 37-year-old. The doctor has been researching smartphone-based alerting and support during resuscitation for years. Another of her fields of research is tele-emergency medicine, in which an emergency doctor supports the rescue team on site from a control centre via a telemedical connection. The tele-emergency doctor receives information from the team on site, sees the patient's vital signs in real time and can be sent camera images from the scene if required. For years, Metelmann has been organising highly media-effective projects for resuscitation lessons in schools and has been involved in professional associations for the next generation of emergency physicians.
"I'm delighted to be here," says Professor Camilla Metelmann. After all, Ulm enjoys an excellent reputation in trauma and healthcare research. Ulm also offers perfect conditions for civil-military cooperation. With the new training hospital and the high-fidelity simulation training centre, the conditions for training; (akad.: ) education are also excellent.
The Ahnefeld endowed professorship for emergency medicine will initially be established for five years. A continuation of the professorship after the end of the funding period will be evaluated.
Background: The BINZ Foundation
The BINZ Foundation promotes preclinical emergency medicine and rescue services. It was founded in 1987 by the then managing directors of BINZ GmbH & Co KG, Lorch, Elisabeth Lehmann, née Binz, and J.C. Ludwig Lehmann. The company had made a name for itself over many years in the construction of special vehicles for the emergency services. As company owners, the Lehmann couple were in constant contact with emergency doctors and paramedics, aid organisations and car manufacturers. This valuable experience ultimately gave rise to the idea of setting up the foundation. From the outset, the aim of the foundation was to preserve the Binz company in the long term, but also to support emergency medicine and the rescue services in Germany. One focus was on the development and improvement of methods as well as rescue and auxiliary equipment used in emergency medicine and rescue services.
Further information:
Prof. Dr Camilla Metelmann, Deputy Section Head for Emergency Medicine, Senior Physician at the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ulm University Hospital, e-mail: camilla.metelmann@uniklinik-ulm.de