The American Trauma Society (ATS) is a leading organization for trauma care and trauma prevention in the United States. The ATS has been the foremost advocate for trauma victims and their families for the past 30 years and continues to seek optimal care for all trauma victims.

Trauma is severe blunt or penetrating injury primarily caused by automobile crashes, gunshots, knife wounds, falls, battery, or burns.  The survival of trauma victims is reliant upon the strength of the trauma system in that victim's geographical area. The trauma system must provide:

 

· Immediate response and medical care at the scene of the injury

· Rapid transport from the scene of the injury to a qualified trauma medical facility

· Qualified trauma medical facilities capable of delivering immediate medical care and ongoing treatment for the injured person or persons

 

Traumatic Injury Statistics:

 

Trauma is the number one cause of death for persons between the age of 1 and 44, more than cancer, heart disease, AIDS or any other disease.  Every four seconds, someone is injured and every six minutes, someone dies from trauma in the United States.  Injury is the leading medical cost to American taxpayers, and prevention is more cost effective than treatment. 

 

Each year over 150,000 people, most of who are in the prime of their lives, will die as a result of injury.  The cost is approaching a staggering 400 billion dollars.  Please take some time to examine the information included here.

 

For more information about the North Carolina Division of the American Trauma Society call 1-866-44-NCATS