Trauma Department

University Medical Center of El Paso

Level I Trauma Center as verified through the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

UMC El Paso Trauma Department's Mission Statement

To ensure the injured patient receives timely, quality care as well as provide injury prevention and education to the community and professionals that meet or exceed standards put forth by the American College of Surgeons, Texas Department of State Health Services and/or The Joint Commission.

UMC El Paso Trauma Department’s Vision

Provide value to our community through quality and cost effective world class trauma care and prevention

About us

A Trauma Center is a specialized hospital distinguished by the immediate full availability of specialized personnel, equipment, and services to treat the most severe and critical injuries.

The only Level I Trauma Center within a 270-mile radius, University Medical Center of El Paso is committed to the treatment of those affected by trauma of all ages and as a leader in the prevention of trauma within the community we serve. We operate within both the Texas trauma system and New Mexico trauma system which involves coordination of trauma care delivery among other trauma centers, EMS agencies, and state and local government agencies. Being a Level I Trauma Center means University Medical Center of El Paso has committed to maintaining a full-range of specialties and resources available 24 hours a day. These services include: trauma surgery; orthopedic services; emergency medicine, neurosurgery; oral-maxillofacial surgery; ophthalmology; obstetrical and gynecological surgery; and more.

Did you know?

University Medical Center of El Paso (Thomason Hospital) has provided trauma care to the community since 1986.
In 1989, the Texas EMS Act was revised to include the development of a State-wide trauma system.
In June 1994, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) made a consultative visit to Thomason Hospital.
In 1998, the ACS verified Thomason Hospital met the criteria for a Level II Trauma Center and the Texas Department of Health (TDH) designated Thomason Hospital as a Level II Trauma Center.

In 2001, ACS verified and TDH (now DSHS) designated Thomason as a Level I Trauma Center.

Next verification survey will take place summer 2017

The conditions of maintaining Trauma Center designation include demonstrating the clinical conditions and resources exist and the policies used serve as professional guidelines for care. For example, we have established: specific trauma team activation criteria and team roles; clinical practice guidelines; Trauma Performance Improvement and Patient Safety (TPIPS) measures, and transfer agreements for burn patients.

The Trauma Department serves as the process communication and improvement team within the organization. The instructional tool known as “Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient, 2014 (6^th Ed.)” from the American College of Surgeons provides the required outline for maintaining ACS verification.

I. Trauma Performance Improvement 915-521-7984

Mission: To lead the trauma performance improvement process at UMC El Paso through our qualified team of Trauma Service Coordinators

Objectives:

• Serve as a role model at the regional level through our qualified group of trauma coordinators and trauma registrars as members of several trauma-related committees
• Lead the trauma performance improvement process which includes interacting with all the hospital departments, and/or transferring facilities within the region that provide trauma care, in order to “close the loop” to the identified opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with our in-house multidisciplinary team including pre-hospital providers and rehabilitative services.
• Collect, analyze and report pertinent data that identify opportunities for improvement that meet and/or exceed the guidelines set forth by the American College of Surgeons.

II. Trauma Registry 915-521-7984

Mission: To support the trauma performance improvement process at UMC El Paso through qualified team of Trauma Registrars

Objectives:

• Trauma registry chart abstraction meeting and exceeding ACS and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) criteria.
• Trauma Injury Prevention: Characterize the frequency and patterns of injury in their communities to offer prevention education.
• Process and Outcome Metrics: Focus on a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical results
• Resource Utilization & Cost Analysis: Evaluation of treatments currently used. Justify institutional and financial support of necessary personnel & support need for additional equipment and/or supplies.
• Research: aggregate data is compiled for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved research studies.

• Administer, coordinate, and provide high quality trauma education, as mandated by a Level 1 Trauma Center, for local national and international courses for nurses and physicians providing care in the trauma setting. Responsible for offering 15-20 courses per year.

• The Prevention Division provides Community Outreach Programs to include various topics such as safety/prevention on falls, pedestrian, bike safety and occupant protections. In collaboration with different agencies, we coordinate community events to promote public awareness on safety topics.

• TXDOT has funded the El Paso Occupant Protection Program since October 2008. As a sub-grantee, University Medical Center of El Paso is able to educate families in El Paso District, as well as Hudspeth, Brewster, Culberson, Presidio, and Jeff Davis counties about car safety and child restraint use. The grant also provides various objectives and activities which include car seat events, educational classes on occupant protection and pedestrians.

• Under the CCP, a community outreach program, provides and encourages community mobilization to implement evidence-based environmental strategies with a primary focus on changing policies and social norms in El Paso del Norte Region to prevent and reduce underage drinking, marijuana and prescription drugs misuse.

• SBI outlines the process of screening trauma patients as mandated by a Trauma Level 1 Center for at risk and/ or for problematic alcohol use and to implement a brief intervention designed to decrease drinking behaviors and preventing injuries. Appropriate interventions will be initiated with each patient as determined by the screening. Options for treatment and educational material are made available to each patient being screened.

• The SANE program, An Attorney General program, specifically developed to provide comprehensive care to the patient with a complaint of sexual assault or abuse and conducting a medical forensic examination to include evaluation for evidence collection if indicated.