FAQ

What does a hospital have to do to become a trauma center?

A hospital will have to apply to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to become a trauma center. There will be an inspection by a team of doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) from both the trauma region and ADPH to determine the level at which the hospital is capable of participating. There is no cost other than the hospital must provide a dedicated phone line that does not go through the hospital switchboard (to attach the monitoring computer) and enough space in the emergency department (ED) to house the computer and printer. The ATHS will provide the hardware and software and will maintain it.

If my hospital becomes a trauma center, how many trauma patients can I expect to see each month?

This will vary depending on the region and hospital resources.

How will I know if a trauma system patient is being routed to my hospital?

The Alabama Trauma Communications Center (ATCC) will obtain information about the patient from the EMSP on the scene. This information will be sent to the printer attached to the monitoring computer in the emergency department. It will print out a patient report. The computer in the emergency department will also sound an alarm that there is an incoming trauma system patient, and the trauma center will receive a notification call from the ATCC. When the EMS unit is about five minutes from the hospital they will call and give an update on the patient's condition.

Will the surgeon have to meet every ATHS patient when he or she arrives in the emergency department?

Level I trauma centers should have a team meet all patients who are unstable and require resuscitation. Level II trauma centers should have the surgeon called to meet patients who are unstable and require resuscitation. Patients with stable vital signs may be evaluated by the emergency physician and the surgeon consulted when needed.

The surgeons at my hospital also take call at another hospital. How will it affect our trauma status when they are on call at another hospital?

This will be worked out on a case-by-case basis depending on the number of surgeons and the proximity of the hospitals. There are several different options that can be worked out to make it acceptable for both the surgeons and the hospitals.

We only have two surgeons on our staff. They cannot cover trauma every day. How will our being "red" affect us as far as Quality Improvement (QI)?

While we monitor each hospital's time on "red," we also allow for each hospital's staffing situation. In some cases having a hospital "green" only part of the time is far superior to having no trauma center available in the area.

My hospital is concerned about the cost of maintaining the commitment to be a trauma center. Will there be any funds to help?

We recognize that funding will be crucial to maintaining the trauma system. We are confident that we can be successful in approaching the Alabama Legislature to obtain the funds needed to keep this life-saving system going.

What if we commit to being a trauma center but find that we are unable to maintain the commitment?

Participation is voluntary. A hospital can change its level of commitment or may withdraw from the system at any time by giving 30-day written notice. During the 30-day period the hospital may still set itself "red" for any resources that are lacking.

If my hospital is "red," will we ever get a patient?

There are three situations where the EMS provider is to immediately take the patient to the closest hospital (whether they are a trauma center or not):

• The EMS provider is unable to effectively manage the airway or ventilate the unstable patient.
• The EMS provider is unable to stop the bleeding of a patient with severe hemorrhage.
• The EMS provider is unable to establish/maintain an IV to provide volume resuscitation in an unstable hypovolemic patient.

If your hospital was "red" and you were brought a patient that met one of these criteria, the ATCC would arrange transfer to the appropriate hospital as soon as your ED physician (or your surgeon) got the problem under control. The other exception is if the patient demands to be taken to your hospital. In Alabama, the patient always has the last word about where they are to be taken.

If all hospitals are "red," what will happen?

The ATCC will try to match what resources a hospital has available with what it appears the patient will need combined with all transport options. Since 1996, when the trauma system began operation in the BREMSS Region, there has never been a time that any region was all "red." The chance that there would be no hospital available to take a patient is extremely slim.

Will my hospital be allowed to advertise as a trauma center?

No hospital can hold itself out as a trauma center unless it has been designated by ADPH. However, those hospitals that are designated can advertise that they are designated trauma centers.

Who should I contact for additional questions?

You may contact:

• William E. Crawford, MD
  State EMS Medical Director
  Office of EMS
  Phone: 334-290-3088
• Alice Floyd, RN, BSN
  Acute Health Systems Manager
  Office of EMS
  Phone: 334-290-3088

Is there an application packet available for review?

Yes, you can download an application packet.

How does Alabama's Trauma and Health System compare with other state's system?

Alabama's system correctly identifies the patients who need trauma care, locates the hospitals with the available resources needed to treat the patients, routes the patient correctly the first time to reduce time to appropriate care, improves care by the QI process, and keeps the hospitals and doctors in control of the process. No other state has a system that can do this.

How many patients were entered into the Trauma System in 2021?

	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December	Yearly Totals
Region 1 (AERO)	229	197	265	314	333	275	294	294	307	335	262	261	3,366
Region 2 (EAST)	114	123	148	152	196	168	135	140	152	135	111	113	1,687
Region 3 (BREMSS)	271	226	276	358	379	338	331	385	321	323	290	319	3,817
Region 4 (WEST)	86	64	64	105	111	90	97	81	99	76	63	87	1,023
Region 5 (SEAEMS)	212	181	252	291	294	297	262	244	265	319	279	275	3,171
Region 6 (GULF)	162	124	162	189	202	178	213	162	195	186	159	161	2,093
State Totals by Month	1,074	915	1,167	1,409	1,515	1,346	1,332	1,306	1,339	1,374	1,164	1,216	15,157

 

How many patients were entered into the Trauma System in 2022? 

	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December	Yearly Totals
Region 1 (AERO)	217	223	267	238	309	235	272	282	309	328	293	237	3,210
Region 2 (EAST)	112	103	154	159	156	144	149	130	123	144	126	135	1,635
Region 3 (BREMSS)	252	247	294	328	295	332	285	324	300	335	271	294	3,557
Region 4 (WEST)	59	78	73	78	110	80	83	76	86	94	70	67	954
Region 5 (SEAEMS)	221	215	283	283	307	238	288	279	249	292	282	281	3,218
Region 6 (GULF)	166	130	176	190	151	183	177	169	155	200	138	168	2,003
State Totals by Month	1,027	996	1,247	1,276	1,328	1,212	1,254	1,260	1,222	1,393	1,180	1,182	14,577