Professor Gernot Marx elected as the new DIVI President
12.01.2021 17:24
Professor Gernot Marx is the new president of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI). The director of the Clinic for Operative Intensive Care Medicine and Intermediate Care at the Aachen University Hospital will lead the specialist society for the next two years.
“I feel honored to be able to serve as president of DIVI for two years. Together in the management team, we will address the special challenges that intensive care medicine will continue to face in the next two years,” said the specialist in anesthesia and intensive care medicine.
His particular concern: to use the boost and experiences with the corona pandemic for intensive care medicine and DIVI. “After all, we not only treat 55,000 COVID-19 patients – but also more than two million intensive care patients across Germany every year!”
Expand Agenda 2030, telemedicine and AI potential
What is particularly important for Marx's presidency is to set goals and strategies for the DIVI. For example, it is important to further expand the DIVI intensive register. “We will use 2021 to develop a mission and vision for the DIVI - together with the executive board, with the sections and all members - it is about the strategy development of Horizon DIVI 2030,” says the new president.
Digitalization, telemedicine and artificial intelligence (AI) are Gernot Marx's main topics. It is important to him to set the course for better care for intensive care patients. This could be achieved through digital, regional health networks, the use of telemedicine, apps and the use of numerous digitized data to apply AI to patients in intensive care units. “In my opinion, intensive care medicine is the area where it is most quickly possible to convert the potential of AI into real patient benefits!” Marx is convinced. It is the task of DIVI to seize this opportunity for patients as soon as possible.
Prof. Uwe Janssens becomes Past President
The previous DIVI President, Professor Uwe Janssens, Chief Physician of the Clinic for Internal Medicine and Internal Intensive Care Medicine at the St. Antonius Hospital in Eschweiler, has now been Past President of DIVI since January 1st, 2021 due to the rotation provided for in the statutes. For two years he represented the professional society as a face with a lot of commitment and energy, both internally and externally.
“On behalf of the entire DIVI, I would like to thank and congratulate him from the bottom of my heart for his highly committed and very successful work during his presidency over the last two years,” said the new President Marx. “Dear Uwe, I am very happy to have your experience on my side!”
The new president-elect will be Prof. Felix Walcher
The new president-elect of DIVI since January 1st, 2021 is Professor Felix Walcher, Director of the Clinic for Trauma Surgery at the University Hospital Magdeburg, with his important focus on resilience and emergency medicine. The trauma surgeon will take over the official duties from current President Gernot Marx on January 1st, 2023.