Medicine of war: Ukrainian experience helps NATO rethink medical care delivery

Ukraine’s military medicine is currently integrating Western standards, adapting them to the conditions of full-scale war.  

Interaction with NATO aims to create an updated life-saving system that combines the Alliance’s systemic approaches with current combat experience.

At present, Ukraine is adopting a system-based approach to trauma medicine, which considers the casualty holistically, rather than solely through the prism of individual injuries. At the same time, Ukrainian medical personnel already possess significantly greater practical experience than many of their foreign counterparts. It is precisely at the intersection of the systems and expertise that a new form of medicine is emerging.

One of the practical steps in this direction has been the introduction of a modular system for equipping stabilization points. This model, formalized by a Ministry of Defence order, is based on NATO principles, while taking into account the realities of the Ukrainian frontline. It establishes precise requirements for both equipment and personnel qualifications, enabling the standardization of care across different units. As a result, each brigade now has a defined list of surgical instruments and specified requirements for the composition of the medical team, ensuring an appropriate level of treatment regardless of the unit’s deployment location.

In parallel with infrastructure development, medical personnel training is ongoing. In particular, training under the ASSET programme enables surgeons to practice techniques for controlling massive hemorrhage. In cases of critical injuries, where time available for care is limited, such training allows medical professionals to act more rapidly and effectively.

As reported by Major of the Medical Service Dmytro Samofalov, Acting Head of the Health Department of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence also cooperates with NATO in the medical domain within the framework of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) and the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) for Ukraine. A priority area is a project aimed at bringing whole-blood transfusion closer to the point of injury. This involves establishing a comprehensive logistics network, from blood collection to training frontline personnel. The objective of the project is to stabilize the service member's condition during “golden hour”, thereby significantly increasing survival rates.