State Trauma System in Georgia
Georgia’s Plan for a State-of-the-Art Trauma System
In the 2000s, B+A was hired to assess the needs and opportunities for trauma care in the state of Georgia. This was set against a state crisis triggered by the closure of several trauma centers, leaving many Georgians a great distance from high-level trauma care. B+A assisted in designing a cutting-edge trauma system that reflected best practices from across the nation, coupled with the best ideas from Georgia.
The result was a state-of-the-art vision for a fully inclusive, integrated statewide trauma and emergency care system. Trauma was considered a public service, and the state assured that all who need a higher level of emergency care would be transported quickly to the closest appropriate facility. Other accomplishments included:
Helped the state obtain permanent trauma system funding
Determined how the state could fairly disburse the state trauma fund to trauma centers, Emergency Medical Services, and trauma physicians
Stabilized and expanded trauma centers
Strengthened Emergency Medical Services with focus on rural regions of the state
Developed a statewide trauma transfer communications system
Strengthened physician support for trauma care in rural Georgia
Assisted in initiatives to reduce traumatic injury
Integrated the trauma system with disaster/terror preparedness initiatives
Developed trauma system regionalization in Georgia
Developed a trauma system stakeholder structure
Established mechanisms to assure exceptional accountability
The project in Georgia led to the publication of a book chapter entitled “The Economics of Regional Trauma Centers - the Georgia Model.” The Georgia team continued to use the B+A methodology and in 2019 published a journal article in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery entitled “How Much Green Does It Take To Be Orange.”