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Wisconsin’s trauma care providers and EMS responders
know first-hand the human toll exacted by traumatic injuries.
The leading cause of death for people between the ages of
one and 44, traumatic injuries killed 3,231 people in Wisconsin
during 2003 alone. For every two people who die of traumatic
injuries, an estimated six are permanently disabled.
Traumatic injuries increase the demand on Wisconsin’s
healthcare resources. A fourth of all Emergency Department
visits are related to traumatic injuries. In 2002, there were
934 injury-related hospitalizations per 100,000.
The state’s economy suffers as well. Injury causes
more years of lost productivity than cancer and heart disease
combined. The estimated cost of motor vehicle crashes in Wisconsin
alone is $2 billion annually.
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During the 1990s, national and state evaluations of Wisconsin’s
trauma care data trained the spotlight on the need for a statewide
system of integrated trauma care. A system approach will
help ensure that traumatic injury patients receive optimum
care – from EMS dispatch through rehabilitation –
regardless of where they are located in the state.
Based on reported experience of states with mature Statewide
Trauma Systems the Wisconsin System has the potential
to prevent up to 15% of injury deaths and save up to 650 lives
in one year. |
