Trauma research in the U.S. is underfunded compared to other diseases. While efforts are underway to lobby for additional support, these efforts do not address the underlying problem that hampers trauma research funding. According to Martin Schreiber, MD, FACS, chair of the Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA), a major problem is a lack of…
Author: Robert Fojut
Pandemic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders led to a 13% drop in miles driven in the U.S. last year. But according to the National Safety Council (NSC), the number of people who died in motor vehicle crashes jumped 8%. “It is tragic that in the U.S., we took cars off the roads and didn’t reap any…
The recent suspension of in-person site visits for trauma center verification is a temporary pause, not a permanent discontinuation, according to the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Leaders of ACS Trauma Quality Programs also clarified that once the COVID-19 pandemic eases, both in-person visits and virtual remote visits will likely play a role in the…
A new study coordinated by the Coalition for National Trauma Research (CNTR) will implement a venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention bundle at 10 trauma centers in the U.S. The proven intervention consists of a web-based nurse education module and a patient-centered education package. Leaders of the study hope it will demonstrate the feasibility of rolling the…
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced that it has developed a process for conducting trauma center verification site visits in a virtual format. ACS leaders also reported that they will soon finalize major revisions to the college’s trauma center standards. The upcoming changes were previewed during the 2020 TQIP Annual Scientific Meeting and…
Cryopreserved packed red blood cells (RBCs) may be as safe and effective as liquid packed RBCs for initial resuscitation of moderately injured patients in the civilian setting, according to a study in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Adding frozen RBCs to the trauma armamentarium could improve the availability of blood during disasters…
Over the last decade, trauma centers have stepped up their efforts to prepare for mass shootings. But according to an expert in mass casualty response, there are several misconceptions about mass shooting events that can undercut hospital readiness. “When you talk about disasters, you have to divide them into two types — progressive events and…
Michael Glenn’s career in trauma has taken him all over the world. He started out as a paramedic in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Since then, he has managed trauma programs, set up trauma data systems, trained trauma nurses and taught trauma PI on five continents. Mike is currently the manager for trauma surgical quality…
Debra Kitchens has lived the full spectrum of trauma care, from running EMS calls as a paramedic to doing scene calls as a flight nurse. As manager of trauma services at Prisma Health/Upstate in Greenville, South Carolina, she is helping to build a regional trauma network while still managing a local team of trauma professionals.…
Trauma researchers have extensive data on fatal gun injuries in the United States. But much less is known about firearm injuries that do not result in death. A new prospective multi-center study led by the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) aims to fill that gap. “The goal of this study is to get a better…