In the Aftermath of the Boston Marathon, Thank Goodness for Level I Trauma Centers

The Boston marathon bombing is a horrifying, ongoing tragedy this week.

Three people died when the bombs exploded, and scores of others were maimed or otherwise injured.

But there was one bright spot for the wounded and their families.  According to the American Trauma Society, “it now appears that every one of the wounded alive when rescuers reached them will survive.”

The reason for this is that they were all fortunate to have almost immediate access to some of the finest, most extensive trauma services in the nation. 

According to an interview with the chief of medicine of one of the area hospitals, there were four Level I trauma centers within a mile or so of the marathon finish line – Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s, Mass General, and Tufts Medical Center.  They were already treating victims within thirty minutes of the blast.

There are five levels of trauma centers in the United States and there are slight differences in how these are designated in different states.  But there is general agreement about one thing – if you receive a life-threatening injury, either accidental or intentional, your best hope for survival is to be as close as possible to a Level I or Level II trauma center.

So what would have happened if this bombing had taken place during some other marathon?

I have run in two marathons in my life, both in Austin.  Austin has one verified Level I trauma center – University Medical Center.  Expected to serve the Austin area’s million plus residents, it would probably be overwhelmed with victims in the aftermath of a similar tragedy.

And I have run a half marathon as part of the Palm Beach County marathon.  For its million plus residents, Palm Beach County has no Level I trauma centers. According to Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Center, it does have two Level II trauma centers – St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach.  

The American College of Surgeons does not designate, but it does verify, the presence of Level 1 and Level II trauma centers in all fifty states.  It has a list of verified centers on its website. The four Boston centers are all on the list.  The only ACS independently-verified Level I center in the entire state of Florida is in Tampa.

The truth is that having Level I trauma centers nearby saved lives in Boston this week. And their families and friends understand that the higher prices they pay for one of the finest health care systems in the world paid off big time when they needed it.

But we were also sadly reminded this week that mass injuries are not just tied to acts of terrorism.  The fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, leveled so much of that community, took too many lives, and left scores more injured, too.

So just how accessible was Level I trauma care to the people of West, Texas, and how accessible would it be to the rest of us if we were to face such horrifying mass tragedies as the people of Texas and Massachusetts faced?  The American Trauma Society has a set of maps on its web site for you to look at.

They are scary.

Here’s one for the country as a whole, identifying those areas that are within 45 minutes by ambulance or helicopter of a Level I or Level II trauma center.  Over 30 percent of our population does not have access.

 And here is one for Massachusetts, looking at just those areas within 45 minutes by ambulance of a Level I or II Center.

 And here is one for Florida, where I currently live.

 And one for Connecticut, where I grew up and most of my family still lives.

 And, finally, one for Texas, where I lived for four years and where most of my wife's family still lives.

Keep these maps in mind the next time someone tries to argue with you:

• That services are pretty much the same in all areas of the country.
• That spending more for access to high-quality healthcare doesn’t make a difference.
• That having teaching and highly-specialized hospitals aren’t worth the investment.
• That no matter where you live you will have plenty of access to trauma care if you ever need it.

To reach Paul Gionfriddo via email: gionfriddopaul@gmail.com.  Twitter: @pgionfriddo.  Facebook: www.facebook.com/paul.gionfriddo.  LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/paulgionfriddo/