[Medical kits in Army physicians' vehicles]

Physicians' medical kits (PMK) were distributed to 50 physicians, graduates of an advanced trauma life support course. The kits were always to be present in the physicians' designated vehicles, enabling them to provide advanced life support at the earliest possible stage (the "golden hour"). The kits have equipment for advanced airway intervention and management, chest trauma management (chest tube insertion, etc.) and fluid administration. To help assess the impact of the PMK and its cost effectiveness, questionnaires were sent to the physicians involved, of whom 35/50 responded. The questions included 2 subjects: the presence of the kit in the car and details of its use for injuries. The kit was present at all times in the cars of all except 1 of 31 physicians. 7 (22.5%) of them used the kit in 50 incidents which involved 74 injured persons. The injuries were caused by road accidents in 54 cases, in 17 by terrorist activity, and 3 cases involved heart attacks and cardiac resuscitation. Distribution of the PMK among army physicians appears to be valuable in the field, and before hospitalization.