Clinical Practice Guidelines from WMS

A physician and clinical educator in Greater Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Richard Delacruz provides ER care through the Titan Emergency Group and teaches as an associate professor with the OPMC graduate medical education program. Dr. Richard Delacruz holds active membership in the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS).

For roughly four decades, the Wilderness Medical Society has been working to further the scientific knowledge and public outreach on subjects related to human health in a wilderness setting. Its Wilderness Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines have proven an important part of these endeavors.

The WMS published the first edition of WMS Practice Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care to aid in the management of health problems in the wilderness and address specific wilderness-related physical trauma and illness. In 2017, the WMS began publishing its Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) in its official journal, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. This transformed its CPG into an evidence-based and peer-reviewed resource relevant to scholarly medical literature. In 2014, the WMS updated its CPG in a Wilderness & Environmental Medicine supplement, covering issues that range from acute altitude sickness to lightning injuries.

How the WMS Advances Medicine

Florida-based ER physician Dr. Richard Delacruz is involved with several organizations. In addition to being a member of the Society of US Naval Flight Surgeons, Dr. Richard Delacruz is also involved with the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS).

Wilderness medicine is a branch of medicine in which care is administered to patients in wilderness conditions. Patients who receive such care are usually stranded in extreme circumstances due to injuries such as frostbite, heat illness, and animal attacks. The WMS focuses on advancing this field through research, publications, fellowships, and conferences.

In February 2022, WMS will host its Winter Conference in Jackson, Wyoming. Workshop topics will include avalanche rescue and resuscitation, foot care, and wound closure. Attendees can also participate in outdoor activities such as skiing and snowboarding. This event is open to medical professionals who treat patients who are injured while engaging in outdoor pursuits. Due to the pandemic, WMS will also broadcast the conference virtually.

ACEP & FDA Warn COVID-19 Treatments

The recipient of an MD from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, Dr Richard Delacruz is an emergency medicine physician possessing over three decades of experience. Furthermore, Dr Richard Delacruz is an active member of the American College of Emergency Medicine (ACEP).

ACEP joins the United States Food and Drug Administration's sentiment on unproven COVID-19 treatments. Using any unauthorized medicine or therapy to treat it can be dangerous or fatal.

Emergency physicians advise the public to seek data-backed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or other reputable medical organizations. According to existing scientific evidence, the best method to protect against the virus and limit its transmission is vaccination. In addition, continue to take safety precautions, such as social distancing. For answers to commonly asked questions regarding the virus and vaccinations, visit the ACEP's online vaccine information center.

Indicators of Internal Bleeding

After earning his medical degree from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Dr. Richard Delacruz completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Dr. Richard Delacruz is an emergency physician with the Titan Emergency Group, where he treats life-threatening conditions such as internal bleeding.

Traumatic accidents can damage internal organs, tissues, and blood vessels and cause internal bleeding. However, the severity of internal bleeding can be difficult to detect. By the time symptoms become visible, the injured person may have lost a dangerous amount of blood.

Symptoms of internal bleeding also vary depending on the location of the injury. For example, bleeding from a head injury may put pressure on the skull and brain, affecting cognitive functions such as speaking or writing. Vessel damage in the stomach or digestive organs may result in bloody stools. Excessive blood loss can trigger shock, loss of consciousness, or low blood pressure. While some types of internal bleeding can resolve on its own, people who notice behavioral or physical changes in the weeks following a serious accident should seek medical treatment.