Walter Reed and trauma center preparedness

[Connie Potter]

The NFTC completed a CDC-funded study about "Trauma Center Preparedness
for a Terrorist Attack in the US" (1 R49 CE000792-01) in September.  The
average "grade" for the 33% of reporting LI and II centers was C-.  More
money was spent in regions with fewer hazards than in those where there
were multiple targets, natural hazards, etc.  We were able to identify 5
Highly Prepared Trauma Centers and 5 with Best Preparedness practices.
There is serious gap between spending for Pandemic Influenza and All
Hazards and hospital preparedness for the most common form of attack,
which is after 25 years of experience, explosions!   We suggest that you
read our report under publications, www.traumafoundation.org
<http://www.traumafoundation.org/> .  There is already a reauthorizatino
to spend nearly $1B per year of the taxpayers' money in a way that does
not create a seamless, borderless system of care for the injured in this
country more than 5 years after 9/11 and almost years post Katrina.
Thanks to k for his input into this report which went to all 50
governors, every trauma center, and EMS Director/Trauma Agency in the
US. 

 

Connie Potter, Executive Director

National Foundation for Trauma Care

(505) 525-9511

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________________________________

From: KMATTOX at aol.com [mailto:KMATTOX at aol.com] 
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 6:46 PM
To: med-events at ccm-l.org
Cc: ccm-l at ccm-l.org
Subject: 

 

I have no problem with various agencies with special interest in special
public health issues being funded from appropriate sources to study
exotic diseases.    

 

We are in the middle of the biggest gun and explosion and burns and
blasts and head injury and amputation war that this country has been in
for the last 50 years.   I do not believe that the focus of the US DOD
and its medical support is focused entirely on these REAL AND PRESENT
CHALLENGE when more money is spent to support the 4 cases of malaria
which were encountered by US soldiers last year than in the entire
development of new knowledge for trauma.    

 

This is NOT to say that tropical diseases, parasites, typhus, malaria,
and chagas disease are not interesting and need information developed on
them, but there are agencies outside DOD that need to study them.   I
have NO problem spending US Research dollars on breast cancer, prostate
cancer, and Alzheimers disease, but with a shortage of dollars and need
for innovations in outpatient care and long term support for the soldier
that is wounded and has an amputation, it seems that we should fix a
roof, and do research in acute care rather use DOD research dollars to
do what the VA, FDA< and others are already funding.   TOO MUCH PORK to
support special interest.  

 

We need a CIVILIAN COMMISSION to look at an entire reorganization of
Military Medicine, with input from middle level management military
medical officers, and other stakeholders.   Who should sponsor such a
commission, DOD, GAO, RWJ, Bill Gates?    We have plenty of money,
plenty of brains, and too many special interest brokers that continue to
control the flow of dollars and it is not always to support the fighting
force or to help the poor wounded military man on the ground, air, or
sea.   

 

k

 

 





________________________________

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