Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine
ReGEDiM, the Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine was founded in 2011 as a research group within the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and originates from the Research Group in Disaster Medicine created in 2008. ReGEDiM is the organizing body of the master after master program in Emergency Medicine (Master in Emergency Medicine) and from the Master of Science in Disaster Medicine (European Master in Disaster Medicine, EMDM), both accredited by the Flemish Government.
Within ReGEDiM a subdivision is made into an emergency medicine unit and a disaster medicine unit. Members are involved in all operational aspects of emergency and/or disaster medicine response and are stimulated to develop research activities related to their clinical expertise. The mission of ReGEDiM is to bring emergency and disaster medicine to a higher level by creating and sharing scientific research, field expertise and knowledge. The disaster medicine unit of ReGEDiM Brussels is responsible for the implementation of the EMDM, according to the Convention for the Organization of a Master after Master in Disaster Medicine, signed by the Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO) and the VUB.
Besides the organization of the EMDM, ReGEDiM collaborates with UPO in order to further professionalize research activities and developments in the field of disaster and humanitarian medicine. In this regard a Joint PhD in Global Health, Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Medicine was created in 2018.
ReGEDiM also invests in practical spin-offs from the performed research activities, among which are examples: The Utstein-style template for uniform reporting of acute medical response in disasters, ISEE OnScene and In-Hospital™ (Table Top education and training software program development, based on real and simulated disaster patients), and CrisisData© (the design and development of a universal and versatile disaster patient individual medical record, based on scientific evidence), DEMis© (Information technology applications in emergency and disaster medicine), SIMEDIS© (Simulation for the assessment and optimalisation of medical disaster management), mathematical tools for logistical decision aid in acute onset disaster medical response, etc….
The activity of the Research Group also fits within the strategy of the Executive Board of the University Hospital of Brussels, Belgium (UZ Brussel) – linked to the VUB – in supporting the further development of centers of expertise and excellence relying on outstanding clinical expertise and related clinical and fundamental research.