Development of Cardiac Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Resource Utilization and Quality Assurance: a Perspective

Background: Introduction of Cardiac surgery as a treatment alternative for patients with cardiac pathology was realized at University Clinical Center Tuzla (UKCT) in 1998 by a hybrid team from the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Education of personnel was performed in Buffalo, NY and on site in Tuzla. Objective: This article gives an overview of development of Cardiac surgery in Bosnia and Herzegovina and proposes concrete proposals for improving health care services for patients in need of these services, Also, author outlined major issues facing medicine in BIH, focusing on cardiac surgery. Methods: Author used descriptive method for write an overview of development of Cardiac surgery in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on personal facts and experiences in the war time 1992-1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in postwar period. Results and Discussion: Before the war of 1992-1995 Bosnia and Herzegovina did not have Cardiac surgery or Invasive cardiology. Patients from BIH were operated in other centers in former Yugoslavia at significant financial expense to the republic and personal inconvenience for patients. During the war and in the post-war period such arrangements became unrealistic. With assistance from USA and Norway a Center for Invasive Cardiology (CIC) and Cardiac Surgery (CS) was estab lished in University Clinical Center in Tuzla (UCCT/UKCT). At present 5 Cardiac surgery centers are functioning in Federation of BIH (FBIH) and one center has been established in Republic of Srpska (RS). Conclusion: Author hopes and believes that the new generation growing up, will throw away the evil forces still preventing BIH from reaching its potential in Cardiac surgery and in the society as a whole.