The Case for Integrating Trauma Care in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's trauma care providers and EMS responders know first-hand the human toll exacted by traumatic injuries.  Of the leading causes of death for people between the ages of 1 and 44 - traumatic injuries killed 3,231 people in Wisconsin during 2003 alone.  For every 2 people who die of traumatic injuries, an estimated 6 are permanently disabled.

Traumatic injuries increase the demand on Wisconsin's healthcare resources. A fourth of all Emergency Room visits are related to traumatic injuries.  In 2002, there were 934 injury-related hopsitalizations per 100,000.

Trauma impacts the economy - injury causes more years of lost productivity than cancer and heart disease combined.  The estimated cost of motor vehicle crashes in Wisconsin alone is $2 million annually.

The Wisconsin Trauma Care System will help ensure that traumatically injured patients receive optimum care - from EMS dispatch through rehabiliation - regardless of location in the state of Wisconsin. 

NEWRTAC Initiatives - PEPP Training for EMS Providers

The WI State Expert Panel has determined key issues that are necessary to improve the preparedness of pre-hospital providers to respond to mass casualty incidents involving pediatric patients:

• appropriate education in the assessment and treatment of the acutely ill or injured child
• appropriate, standardized equipment/supplies and medications for the delivery of care to the pediatric patient
• pediatric-specific treatment protocols
• education for EMS Medical Directors

The goal for the WI Statewide Trauma Care System, in conjuntion with the efforts of the WI State Expert Panel, is to direct resources to ensure a consistent approach to assessment, treatment and transfer of pediatric patients within EMS systems in Wisconsin.

One facet of this goal is to identify and train a representative "Pediatric Champion" at each EMS agency within the state of Wisconsin.

The concept of the "Pediatric Champion" is to serve as a central resource for his/her EMS agency for pediatric emergency care issues.

PEEP training is designed specifically for EMS providers as a comprehensive source for pre-hospital medical/trauma information for the emergency care of infants and children.

In August 2007, the NWTC Division of Public Safety - EMS certified three (3) additional members of their EMS instructional staff in the PEPP course.  With that, NWTC in conjunction with the NEWRTAC plans to schedule a series of PEPP Workshops throughout 2008 in specific geographic locations  of the NE Wisconsin region to optimize this pediatric-specific training to EMS providers in this area.

Although funding through HRSA Hospital Preparedness expired on December 31, 2007 - PEPP courses are available through Northeast WI Technical College.  For information specific to the PEPP Training program, contact the NEWRTAC Coordinator via the contact information provided below. 

"Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" - the CDC Tookit

The Center for Disease Control estimates that as many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation- related concussions occur in the United States each year.

In the interest of ensuring the safety and health of youth in sports-related activities, the CDC has developed a "Heads-Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" tool kit for parents, coaches and athletes providing important information on preventing, identifying and responding to concussion trauma. 

The tool kit includes fact sheets, clipboard with reference sheets, magnet with concussion facts, poster with concussion facts, and a quiz for coaches, parents and athletes that measures their knowledge of concussion injury.

The "Heads-Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" took kit is available at no cost at www.cdcgov/mmwr/preview

Subsidies for  Hospital Preparedness Grants - Round 1