A trauma system is a network of EMS agencies and hospitals that provide specialized care for injured patients and promotes injury prevention and control initiatives. The system facilitates appropriate triage and transportation of trauma victims to health care facilities that can provide the best care.
It also promotes rehabilitation services to help reduce long-term disability and maximize the potential for injured patients to return to their prior level of functional capacity and reintegration into the community.
The goals of a trauma care delivery system are to:
- Reduce the incidence and severity of injuries
- Improve the health outcome of those who are injured by ensuring timely and equal access to the most appropriate health care resources
- Promote efficient, cost-effective delivery of care
- Implement performance improvement activities to ensure quality care throughout the system
- Advocate for sufficient resources to meet the needs of the injured in the community
Trauma System Components
The EMS component of the trauma system is designed to provide initial assessment and management of injured patients and safe transport to the most appropriate health care facility. In Clark County there are six public fire departments and three private ambulance companies providing emergency medical services.
The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma has developed a classification system to identify the necessary resources to provide optimal care to injured patients.
In the Clark County Trauma System there are three hospitals classified as trauma centers:
- University Medical Center - Level I and Pediatric Level II
- Sunrise Hospital & Sunrise Children’s Hospital - Level II
- St. Rose Dominican Hospitals Siena Campus - Level III
Regional Trauma Advisory Board
The primary mission of the Southern Nevada Health District Regional Trauma Advisory Board is to support the Health Officer’s role to ensure a quality system of patient care for the victims of trauma by making recommendations and assisting in the ongoing design, operation, evaluation and revision of the system from initial patient access to definitive patient care.
Trauma Medical Audit
The Trauma Medical Audit Committee is a medical review committee designed to evaluate and improve trauma care by conducting detailed mortality and morbidity review of cases that meet the medical audit criteria, have exceptional educational or scientific benefit, or involve medical issues which require discussion or resolution.
Terrorism Injuries: Information, Dissemination and Exchange (TIIDE) Grant
The Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System is currently funded by the CDC to conduct activities related to the development, dissemination and exchange of information about the management of mass victim incidents resulting from terrorism.
The following are some of the educational materials created by the TIIDE partners:
Bombings: Injury Patterns and Care
The Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System, in cooperation with the CDC and the American College of Emergency Physicians, revised the original “Bombings: Injury Patterns and Care” curriculum to provide a targeted training program for security officers to prepare them to assist in managing the scene prior to the arrival of police, fire and EMS personnel.
Call (702) 759-1050 for more information or to request a copy of the training DVD.
Blast Injuries
Blasts or explosions can cause numerous casualties with complex, technically challenging injuries not commonly seen. To address this issue, the CDC has developed fact sheets for health care providers that provide detailed information on the treatment of blast injuries.
More information is available on the CDC's Blast Injuries: What Clinicians Need to Know 
webpages.
New "Health and Safety" fact sheets provide key messages for the general public and emergency care community to use in immediate response to a blast event.
Listen to the Blast Injuries: What Clinicians Need to Know podcast by Dr. Richard C. Hunt, Director of the CDC's Division of Injury Response. Dr. Hunt provides a brief overview on how to respond and care for people injured by an explosion or blast event.
