Our Trauma Research Program focuses on innovations to treat critical injury.
Our team members involved in research have set four specific goals:
- Increase understanding in the care of trauma and critically ill patients
- Increase public awareness of trauma
- Optimize care for critically injured patients
- Allow patients and families to participate in studies that may impact the future of critical care
The only cure for trauma is prevention. University Health System dedicates itself and its resources to injury prevention through educational opportunities and events for our community. We’re actively involved with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) to support essential trauma programs in and around San Antonio.
Through our Injury Prevention Department, we also promote child and adult safety with programs designed to eliminate traumatic incidents. We focus on many initiatives, such as car seat inspections and installations, school and community education and parent and child education.
University Health System released its 2017 Community Trauma Report during National Trauma Awareness Month in May, 2018. The report looks at major causes of serious injuries and trends in South Texas over a five-year period, using data from thousands of trauma patients seen at University Hospital. This year’s report also shines a spotlight on the important and unusual partnership between the level I trauma centers at University Hospital and Brooke Army Medical Center.
“South Texas is extremely fortunate to enjoy a unique civilian-military partnership that provides not only the very best care to those who suffer life-threatening injuries, but also works together to improve that care through research and trauma system development. This partnership has greatly improved the survival odds in one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation,” wrote Dr. Brian Eastridge, chief of trauma and emergency surgery, and professor of surgery at UT Health San Antonio, in the report’s introduction.
University Hospital’s level I trauma center treated 7,293 people — 5,361 adults and 1,932 children — in 2017. That was a 68 percent increase over a five-year period. Each year, the number of both adults and children with serious injuries has grown during those five years. Falls were the leading cause of injury among all age groups, with car crashes the second-leading cause.
This year’s Spotlight section, which features three causes of injuries identified by members of the trauma team as problems in our community, looks at fireworks, injuries during pregnancy and children hit by cars while walking to school.
Read the annual Community Trauma Reports.
