Trauma care access key to saving lives

Population growth in Nevada is on the rebound from the Great Recession, and growth has been particularly strong in the Las Vegas Valley. As elected officials, our goals and priorities are often focused on issues of homelessness, transportation, infrastructure and how to bring prosperity to our communities.

Most recently, the importance of economic development was underscored in the recent legislation to bring the Faraday Future electric car manufacturing facility to North Las Vegas. Adding Faraday as a business resident is a significant step toward increasing our state’s economic prospects, and I was proud to support these efforts. In addition to the company’s expected creation of 4,500 jobs, economic analysts project that the facility will bring as many as 9,000 indirect jobs to Southern Nevada. This dramatic growth requires improved infrastructure to support it, and a key element of that infrastructure is a 21st century health care system that includes a state-of-the art trauma system.

The Regional Trauma Advisory Board recently voted against authorization of three Level 3 trauma applications. Unfortunately, this decision does not reflect the growth we’ve seen or the more than 40 million annual visitors. This decision does not have to be final, as the Southern Nevada District Board of Health could reject RTAB’s recommendation. It is important that population growth and the rise in tourism are central factors in whether Clark County authorizes an increase in the amount of life-saving trauma facilities available to its residents.

Traumatic injuries are frightening and can be life-changing for both the patient and the family. Although the Affordable Care Act increased access to health care, creating an infrastructure to treat traumatic injuries requires comprehensive strategies to reduce the mortality rate. Results from a 2014 study that included geriatric trauma patients showed a significant decrease in the mortality rate for citizens residing in areas served by large-scale trauma network systems.

One of the guiding principles of trauma care is recognizing that a victim’s best chance of survival is significantly increased if they are treated within 60 minutes of initial injury — this “golden hour” literally means the difference between life and death. Whether it’s a severe car accident, sporting accident, or a senior falling in their home, having readily accessible trauma care is critical to preventing lifelong disability or death.

Trauma centers are often confused with basic emergency rooms, but they could not be more different. These state-of-the-art facilities have specialized and experienced multidisciplinary staff, including a trauma surgeon on-call at all times.

The Centers for Disease Control’s Trauma Field Triage Criteria cautions against over-triage, which “occurs when a patient who does not require care in a higher-level trauma center nevertheless is transported to such a center, thereby consuming scarce resources unnecessarily.” At the end of 2015, none of the trauma cases at St. Rose Hospital’s Siena campus — Clark County’s only Level 3 trauma center — needed the operating room or intensive care unit. By treating less severe trauma cases, St. Rose-Siena helped the Clark County trauma system operate more efficiently.

The American College of Emergency Physicians’ 2014 state-by-state report card on the state of the emergency care environment ranked Nevada last overall among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Nevada earned and F for access to emergency care. The bright spot in the report is that the state improved from an overall grade of B, up from an F in 2009. As Nevada continues to grow, it is prudent that we put in place a trauma system that increases the likelihood that a patient will survive.

My military training teaches that we must always hope for the best, but plan and prepare for the worst. A 21st century trauma network will do just that, particularly if we focus solely on patients and ultimately saving lives. Trauma victims and their families deserve access to the highest quality care at their most vulnerable moments.

Pat Spearman represents North Las Vegas in the Nevada Senate and is a retired Army officer.