Ohio's state trauma committee finds major problems with Ohio's trauma system

Ohio's state trauma committee evaluated Ohio's trauma system on 13 indicators (Source: "Panel sees flaws in trauma system," The Columbus Dispatch, May 26, 2008).  These indicators came out nof federal recommendations for a model trauma system.  The committee gave Ohio a grade of 33 percent.

The committee commended the system, which began in 2002, for getting injured patients to the hospitals best equipped to treat them.  But they found several flaws including the Ohio Emergency Medical Services board lacks auhtority to enforce the law; trauma training required of emergency workers is not required of providers who will treat severely injured patients; there are no trauma centers in southeastern Ohio, and no one keeps records on severely injured patients who die at the accident scene.