We Know State and Regional Trauma Systems

B+A has assessed state trauma systems in Arizona, California, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas, as well as dozens of county and regional trauma systems. Our assessment focuses on the evaluation of current trauma capacity, EMS transport patterns, and the financial performance of the current trauma centers, as well as projections of future population growth in the region and identification of geographic gaps in trauma system coverage. If the assessment results indicate that the trauma system is strong, B+A can offer strategies to enhance the system to make it even stronger. If the results indicate current or projected gaps, B+A will work with trauma system leaders to explore options to close those gaps.

Examples include:

• Adding the first trauma center in Southern Illinois in a project with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

• Developing trauma funds in 10 states, along with their allocation formulas, based upon our assessment of trauma center funding needs.

• Assessing the trauma care needs of the state of Georgia and working with the Georgia Trauma Commission to develop a comprehensive trauma system.

• Evaluating the future needs of an urban trauma system in California and selecting a new trauma care hospital in a location with the greatest need.

• Collaborating with state EMS systems in Oklahoma and Nevada to develop new rural trauma care providers.

• Working with South Carolina’s rural hospitals to develop Level IV trauma centers.

• Assessing and reconfiguring a multi-state trauma region’s providers, which included reducing a duplicative Level I trauma center to Level III status.

Our Process is Collaborative and Exhaustive

For trauma system assessments, our approach is to work directly with as many stakeholders as possible, including trauma system leaders, EMS agencies, existing trauma centers, area hospitals, local governments, area residents, and other groups deemed important to the initiative. B+A can provide the structure, organization, and steady presence to oversee the process and engage stakeholders, with particular attention on engaging groups with strong negative feelings or misconceptions about the future of the trauma system. The final recommendations should be of no surprise to stakeholders because they have opportunities to receive and provide input throughout the process.

B+A’s unique expertise on state and regional trauma system performance grows with each project. Our experience and credibility enable collaboration in regions or with groups that struggle to agree on trauma system issues. We have been trusted to lead processes that effectively establish or strengthen high-quality trauma systems, but occasionally this can also lead to recommendations to close or downgrade an underperforming trauma center. We keep “hearts and minds” at the center of what we do and will empower your trauma system leaders to make informed, responsible, and future-oriented decisions.

Components of the Project

The components of a typical trauma system assessment project may include the following:

• Identification and mapping of defined trauma service areas for each existing trauma center based on regional trauma system rules, distance between hospitals and other trauma centers, expected population growth, and other trauma patient referral patterns.

• Analysis of the regional trauma market to determine current volume, severity of injury, and payer mix of the defined trauma service areas.

• Analysis of hospital data, trauma registry data (if applicable), EMS data, and state hospital discharge data that informs the overall process.

• Projections of population growth and potential gaps in trauma care, as well as assessment of whether a new trauma center is needed in the trauma system

• Recommendations and next steps for expanding state or regional trauma center capacity.

• Identification of potential state or regional financial support alternatives.

• Solicitation of feedback from regional Emergency Medical Services providers (ground and air) to ascertain their experiences with current trauma centers and challenges they have in patient transport.

• Creation of optimal trauma system stakeholder structures, committees, or governance models.

• Evaluation of disaster management/preparedness initiatives and assessment of how the current trauma system supports those initiatives.

• Development of pediatric trauma centers or enhanced pediatric readiness capacity at adult trauma centers to meet identified gaps in pediatric trauma coverage.

• Reports, tools, and presentations to trauma system stakeholders to ensure understanding and to receive feedback throughout the process.

We’ve Got Your Back for the Long Term

B+A provides strong support to former clients and can work with individual hospitals to optimize or upgrade trauma care to meet the needs of the trauma system. Our clients will tell you they feel supported by us when needed. We stand by our work.