<BODY><P>Ken!! I don't disagree that Cooper is a fine trauma center, and that NJ hasn't done enough to support financially struggling trauma centers, but where do you get your information that NJ is not working with it trauma centers to build its disaster response infrastructure?? or surgical critical care is struggling for recognition??</P>
<P>While CN has opted to build a north/south tier with trauma center focus, NJ, with a much stronger county government political structure, has created a MCC (medical coordinating center) infrastructure. There at 9 MCCs, generally built around the trauma centers (my trauma center is the resource center for central NJ for example). The NJ Trauma Center Council is very involved in linking efforts with our Dept of Health. We work closely with the NJ Hospital Association, which has a major communications role as a back-up EOC for the state. The trauma center in Newark is the focal point for a UASI in northern NJ. Personally, I was recently appointed Chair of the Commissioner's Health Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council (HEPAC). In short, the trauma centers are well recognized resources and we are working with the state to advance emergency preparedness. You have repeatedly preached the gospel of local response, and NJ is fashioning a solution that is
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<P>As far as surgical critical care is concerned, I have no idea to what you are referring. There are robust surgical critical care programs at the three level I centers and most of the level II centers.</P>
<P>Your comments are ill-advised. </P>
<P>Jeffrey Hammond MD, MPH, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ</P>
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