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Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
Trauma Systems
Frequently Asked Questions
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- What is a Trauma System?
A trauma system is a collaborative effort between multiple groups to reduce the number and severity of injuries using a multidisciplinary public health framework. That means that medical professionals, government agencies, public health experts, and others all work together to find ways to prevent injuries and help those who are injured get the best care possible.
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- Why is a Trauma System Necessary?
Traumatic injury is the number one cause of death for children and adults up to age 44. For those who survive a traumatic injury, they often struggle to regain their prior level of functioning at work or in their social activities. Individuals have the best chance of surviving and returning to their former lifestyle if they have prompt, appropriate medical care. An organized approach allows injured patients to get to the most appropriate facility within the shortest amount of time.
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- How is NH's Trauma System Structured?
RSA 153-A is the NH statute that provides the authority for the trauma system. It has both an administrative and a clinical component.
The administrative component consists of a regulatory agency, the Department of Safety, and an expert advisory group, the Trauma Medical Review Committee (TMRC). The TMRC includes physicians, trauma nurses, EMS representatives and others involved in trauma and injury prevention. The State's Trauma Coordinator is housed within the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services at the Department of Safety. The Trauma Coordinator acts as a liaison between the Department of Safety, the TMRC and the clinical providers within the system.
The clinical component of the trauma system includes first responders, ambulance services, medical dispatch, hospitals, health educators, public health workers and other medical providers who render care to the injured and work to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.
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- What Has the NH Trauma System Accomplished?
To ensure that we are prepared to deliver the highest level of care possible in a given circumstance, we continually evaluate protocols, facilities, and capabilities of each component of the system. As a result of these efforts, EMS providers utilize a uniform set of guidelines for identifying high-risk trauma patients, communicating with hospital staff, and making transport decisions. Most NH hospitals participate in a voluntary assessment process and are awarded Trauma Levels I through IV based on their administrative and clinical capabilities in trauma care. Both the clinical and administrative components of the state's trauma system participate in education, research and injury prevention initiatives across the state.
The full effect of the trauma system is perhaps most evident when an injury does occur. The net result should be a seamless integration of medical dispatch, prompt pre-hospital stabilization, appropriate triage and transport decisions, clear communications, and rapid mobilization of trauma specialists to deliver definitive care.
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- Where Can I Learn More about Trauma Care?
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- Where Can I Learn More about Trauma Systems?
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