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Trauma Care in Texas

In 1989, the Texas Legislature, as part of the Omnibus Rural Health Care Act, directed the Bureau of Emergency Management of the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to develop and implement a statewide emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma care system, designate trauma facilities, and develop a trauma registry to monitor the system. No funding was provided for this project at that time.

Rules for implementing the system were adopted by TDH in January 1992. These rules divided the state into twenty-two regions called trauma service areas (TSAs). The rules also called for the formation of a regional advisory council (RAC) in each TSA to develop and implement a regional trauma system plan, delineate the trauma facility designation process, and assist with development of the state trauma registry.

How We Started

In 1991, Trauma Coordinator positions were added to several facilities providing trauma care in the Dallas area. This was a new, largely undefined role whose benefit was unclear. Institutional support and structure for the role was nonexistent.

Several Dallas Coordinators, including Jorie Kline of Parkland, Jodi Cotner of Baylor and Kim Davies of Methodist, began meeting together for lunch to share ideas and support. Soon, Coordinators from Fort Worth, Greg Bauer of Harris Methodist and Ann Athey of Cooke's Childrens' Hospital, began attending the lunches as well.

By early 1992, the group expanded into north Texas. The original membership expanded to eleven when Woody Kuykendall (General), Dot Howard (Longview), Judy England (East Texas Medical Center), Penny Pezencke (UTMB), Mary Pat Bonham (UMC), and Debra Walker (Bethania) began attending meetings. These eleven individuals formalized the original Trauma Coordinators under the North Texas Division of the American Trauma Society. Membership soon leaped from eleven to twenty-five, to over one hundred by mid-1992.

Our Mission

Our mission is to promote and address educational needs of the various facilities and institutions that provide trauma care in our State.

Membership is open to anyone interested in improving care for trauma patients. Meetings of the TTCF are held quarterly and provide an outstanding opportunity to network with Trauma Coordinators and Trauma Program Managers from throughout Texas. During meeting, members receive updates on legislative issues, injury prevention programs, trauma registry requirements, and rule changes.

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