Why focus on trauma?

• Community surveys asked residents what they saw as the greatest healthcare need in our community and 42% named trauma!
• More than 1,000 trauma cases are projected for Brevard and Indian River counties in 1999.
• Nationwide 60 million injuries occur annually

• 30 million require medical care
• 9 million are disabling
• 3.6 million require hospitalization
• One death occurs every 5-10 minutes as a result of an accident/injury
• Cost = $400 billion annually

In 1997, Holmes Regional Medical Center's Board of Directors made the commitment to bring trauma care to Brevard. We formed an affiliation with University of Florida Health Science Center in Jacksonville in 1998, and achieved provisional status from the state to serve as a Level II trauma center in 1999. We earned a full seven-year accreditation and launched First Flight's new EC135 helicopter in 2000.

How did trauma care begin?

When the military started using helicopters as "air ambulances" in the Korean and Vietnam wars, survival rates for wounded troops dramatically increased. Medical personnel were able to provide immediate, definitive care in the field and in the air — before they even reached the hospital. Doctors soon realized this type of care would be valuable in treating civilians, and began developing trauma centers in the 1970s.

What does it take to be designated as a trauma center?

• Full-time trauma surgeons, Emergency Department physicians, and hundreds of dedicated physicians, nurses, specialists, and technicians to cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Designated operating room
• Designated trauma room
• Trauma coordinator and registrar
• Trauma research
• Multiple medical and surgical specialists
• CT scan and invasive radiology
• Designated intensive care units (ICUs)
• Staff education
• Quality improvement programs
• Rehabilitation programs
• Community outreach, education, and prevention programs

What are the different trauma designations?

• Level I — Provides definitive, 24-hour care for critically injured patients, conducts trauma-related research and is, therefore, usually university-based.
• Level II — Provides definitive, 24-hour care for critically injured patients, has the option of pursuing research, and is usually awarded to full-service, community-based regional medical centers.

What were the options for Brevard and Indian River counties?

• Orlando Regional Medical Center (Level I) 90 miles
• Halifax Hospital, Daytona Beach (Level II) 106 miles
• St. Mary’s, West Palm Beach (Level II) 110 miles

How does First Flight determine which hospital or trauma center is closest?

Florida law requires patients meeting certain trauma criteria to be transported to an accredited trauma center. The pilot might not take the patient to the trauma center that is closest in miles, but rather to whichever one can be reached most quickly. Variables such as weather, wind speed, etc., are calculated to determine where the patient may receive care the fastest, keeping in mind — The Golden Hour is Our Golden Rule.

What are the most common causes of trauma injuries?

In 1999, the injuries our patients received were caused by the following:

What’s available now?

Holmes Regional Trauma Center, an affiliate of the University of Florida Health Science Center in Jacksonville is the first and only trauma center in Brevard and Indian River counties.

For more information about Holmes Regional Trauma Center, please e-mail us at info@health-first.org or call (800) 541-1928.