That’s why there is growing recognition of the importance of “turning bystanders into immediate responders”-those who happen to be near the patient when the injury occurs. “There is no such thing as a ‘Golden Hour’ for a patient with severe blood loss,” said Mark Gestring, MD, FACS, member of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) and Chair of its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Committee, who said uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable trauma death. But some injured people don’t have an hour: for instance, those who are bleeding heavily may have just minutes to live unless the bleeding is slowed or stopped. In medicine, it’s called the “golden hour”-getting the trauma patient to definitive care within an hour of the injury for the best chance of survival before shock causes damage to organs. Then in our fifth story, we will discuss steps that national trauma leaders are taking to close those gaps and complete the nation’s trauma system. In our fourth story, we outline the gaps that need to be closed in the system. But that progress hasn’t reached every injured patient yet. These gaps impede a successful recovery and can cost lives.Īmerica’s trauma system has achieved dramatic advances over the past 50 years. Some patients may not be sent to the most appropriate trauma center for the severity of their injuries or may live in rural areas with limited trauma center access, introducing critical delays in care. When an injury occurs, oftentimes people nearby don’t know what to do beyond calling 911, and some first responders such as police officers may lack medical training. Since 1966, when the National Research Council called for the development of regionalized trauma systems, this approach to trauma care has been partially implemented in most states around the nation.īut significant gaps remain: One in three Americans live in a region without a complete trauma system. This system is driven by the knowledge that surviving traumatic injury depends on reaching the appropriate level of definitive care as soon as possible. These programs include teddy bear clinics, senior falls prevention programs, traffic violator education programs and courses that teach bleeding control for the injured. Stony Brook also provides sports safety clinics, teen driving initiatives, Safe Kids “Safety Games,” parent information sessions and more to organizations in the community - all free of charge.The goal of getting the “right patient to the right place at the right time” is embodied by the inclusive, regionalized trauma system. Stony Brook Trauma Center focuses on injury prevention by offering a number of special programs designed to keep community members safe. In fact in the most recent report, it was found that patients who were seriously injured and then treated at Stony Brook Trauma Center were much less likely to die or to develop a major complication than patients treated at other participating trauma centers.Īnother differentiating feature of Level I Trauma Centers is enhanced outreach and teaching programs. Based on its patient outcome results, Stony Brook consistently ranks within the top percentile nationwide for its care of patients who are seriously injured. ![]() Having met the strict quality and safety standards set by the ACS, Stony Brook Trauma Center also participates in a national quality program with more than 300 other trauma centers nationwide. For children, Stony Brook provide a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department adjacent to the main Emergency Department, staffed by board-certified pediatric emergency medicine physicians.Ĭomprehensive, excellent trauma care can save lives. ![]() What’s more, Stony Brook University Hospital has 20 operating rooms, plus CT scanners and MRI machines right in the Emergency Department, with ready access to blood products through its Blood Bank. Having this in-house expertise available at all times means immediate treatment of all types of traumatic and complex injuries. One key difference is Level I Trauma Centers like Stony Brook provide 24/7 access to in-house (as opposed to on-call), board-certified critical care specialists and trauma surgeons. What distinguishes a Level I Trauma Center from other levels of trauma care? Level I is the highest designation, indicating that the most advanced care is available.
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