The traumatology and orthopedic clinic in the Kolašin Health Center (DZ), a project that has not been promoted enough so far, contributes in many ways to the quality of the city's tourist offer, the safety of ski resort visitors, but also represents significant savings in the healthcare system.
However, hundreds of patients, both tourists and residents of Kolašin, know about the team of orthopedists who are at the clinic every day of the week, from the morning when the ski centers open until an hour and a half after the last skier leaves Bjelasica.
A few years ago, the clinic was conceived only as a trauma center, for treating injuries from skiing, but since the beginning of this tourist season, it has been open to all other orthopedic patients. It will remain so throughout the winter.
This quality story from the healthcare system originated, and continues to this day, as an enthusiastic endeavor by orthopedist Dr. Marko Borovinic and the management of the DZ. Later, in the outpatient clinic, alongside Dr. Borovinić, his colleagues Dr. Igor Mandic, Ph.D Vladan Cirkovic and others Oleg Lakovic.
"A few years ago, we designed it to be a trauma clinic for visitors to the two Kolašin ski resorts. However, we realized that we could not operate like that and that we could not 'close the door' to the people of Kolašin who come with injuries or orthopedic problems that are not from the ski resorts. So, during this winter, we have designated part of the working day for orthopedics," Dr. Borovinić tells "Vijesti".
He explains that his love for Kolašin, but also the understanding of the importance of a serious winter tourist center having this type of clinic, brought his colleagues and him together around the project. He claims that there was no lack of understanding and support from the DZ management.
Orthopedists also have a mini-room at their disposal, so, as Dr. Borovinić says, they can observe a lot of things, right down to the so-called “minor surgery.” This is how the Kolašin DZ now “resolve” many injuries that previously required patients to travel to Podgorica.
The work of the Kolašin outpatient clinic, according to the "Vijesti" interviewee, thus represents a significant strain on the Emergency Center.
As calculated by the Kolasin DZ, hiring orthopedists and other specialists saves citizens around 6.000 euros a year. This amount is obtained by comparing the cost of hiring specialists and the cost of the patient's travel expenses, not counting their companions.
They realized the benefits at the ski resorts
Dr. Borovinić and director of the Kolasin DZ Milan Markovic, in addition to saving money in the healthcare system, they also point out another significant benefit of the clinic for the tourism industry. They explain that before the clinic existed, that is, before it was ensured that orthopedists were in Kolašin throughout the week, it used to happen that families who came for a winter vacation would interrupt their vacation and leave their accommodation after one member got injured.
"It's significantly different now. For example, if a child injures their hand, the injury is treated at the DZ, the family continues their stay in Kolašin, where the check-up is also carried out. This is a very important factor and a great benefit for accommodation owners. We hope that the tourism industry and those within the institutions responsible for tourism will recognize this," they say they expect at the DZ.
For now, the work of the traumatology and orthopedic clinic is financed by money from the relevant ministry, and starting this year, the state-owned Kolašin 1600 Ski Center and the private Kolašin 1450 will also participate.
The rest of the tourism industry has not yet seen the need to ensure the sustainability of this project.
Dr. Borovinić says that if Kolašin intends to become a center of sports tourism, much more community attention should be directed at that clinic, but also at possibly enriching health services.
Marković explains that year-round operation of the clinic would be useful, given the increasingly popular active vacation and injuries that occur, for example during hiking or other forms of outdoor recreation.
"Vijesti" interlocutors suggest that work should also be done to clarify some legal norms. For example, they cite the law stipulating that there should only be one medical worker at a ski resort, without even defining whether it is a medical technician or a doctor.
Knee and shoulder injuries are the most common
Although, unlike the previous season, there were many days with record-breaking visits to Bjelasica, the injuries sustained on the ski slopes were, says Dr. Borovinić, "in the expected range." There were 60 to 70 in total, but the total number of patients in the traumatology and orthopedic clinic since the beginning of the season is 170.
In previous years, there were up to 15 patients a day with injuries sustained at ski resorts. For example, the year before last, during the winter, Dr. Borovinić and his colleagues examined almost 380 patients.
The most common injuries on ski slopes, explains Dr. Borovinić, are, in 80 percent of cases, knee injuries, but also shoulder injuries, namely clavicle fractures, as well as contusions or dislocations of the shoulder joint.
"These are definitely the most common injuries, but ankle injuries also occur when the boots are not properly tightened, or fractures of the lower leg at the height of the boot rim. The mismatch between the trail and the skier's experience causes more frequent injuries. In order to prevent some of the most common injuries, care should be taken to ensure that the bindings are adequately adjusted to the skier's weight, that the boots are adequately tightened, but not 'too tight', and that experience is properly assessed. Children in particular do not know how to assess skills well, so they are more daring and get injured more often," says Dr. Borovinić.
Rescuers have work to do.
A “frozen” trail and inexperience are often a bad combination, and this is one of the more common causes of skier injuries. This is also the experience of volunteers - rescuers from the Kolašin Red Cross. Boška MedeniceAs he says, there have been no serious injuries since the beginning of this season, but the rescuers have not been without work.
Medenica claims that inadequate assessment of one's own capacities is a common cause of injuries.
"Unfortunately, most people are not skiers, so they go to more difficult slopes without sufficient knowledge and preparation. We recommend that those with less experience take at least one lesson with an instructor to find out what level they are at, and choose the slope accordingly. There were no serious injuries this year, nor was their number higher than expected. Usually, there are around 200 injuries throughout the season at both ski resorts," says Medenica.
The engagement of rescuers, claims Medenica, is now significantly facilitated by the fact that an orthopedic team is in Kolašin throughout the week. Doctors are consulted, and the functioning of the rescue service has been facilitated in several ways.
"This is a real relief for both us and the guests of the ski resort. We had a lot of problems before, most of the injuries that are now 'resolved' in the Kolasin DZ had to be transported to Podgorica. Some of our equipment was also transported with the patients. The return of the equipment from Podgorica was delayed, which was often a challenge for us... Now, it is also important that the doctors in the clinic are available for consultations and advice, which in that way also improves our work," explains the rescuer.
Medenica says that lifeguards are present at both ski resorts every day, and their number depends on the infrastructure that is in operation that day. When everything is in operation, there are eight to nine lifeguards on the slopes on Bjelasica.
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