HMC's Trauma Care Centre brings down fatalities by 50%

Trauma Care Centre of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has achieved 50% reduction in the number of deaths of patients with serious injuries in the five-year period since it was set up in 2007, the hospital said Tuesday. This is a quantum leap HMC has made in caring for patients who sustain traumatic injuries. Qatar is one of the first countries outside the United States to establish a complete specialist trauma system to address the increasing numbers of severely injured people. According to quality indicators, the length of stay in the hospital for trauma patients has also decreased from an average of 12 days in 2007 to eight days in 2011, the HMC revealed today. Trauma is a major cause of death and disability in Qatar. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2011, Qatar has one of the highest road traffic death rates in the region at 19 deaths per 100,000 population; falls, mostly occurring on construction worksites, were cited as the second most common cause of death and permanent disability. Based at HMC, the Trauma Centre receives and evaluates more than 5,300 patients each year, of which approximately 3,000 are admitted to the hospital for care, the HMC said. The center has developed various protocols, with each trauma patient being cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who collaborate closely to provide the best possible care. Earlier this year, the Trauma Center earned recognition in the Arab Health Awards and the WHO for its success in improving care for the injured in Qatar. HMC's Trauma Center Head Dr Hassan Al Thani said, "Having a trauma system elevates the care of patients in every service in the hospital, not just for trauma. Published evidence shows that hospitals with a Level 1 trauma center have lower morbidity and mortality across the board in their services and provide better care for their patients." Dr Al Thani said, "The Trauma Programme in Qatar is one of the best – if not the best – in the Middle East because it is structured, integrated and functions on the basis of collaboration. Trauma care is a real continuum process that does not stop until the patient is returned fully functional back to his/her place in society and many professionals contribute to this success." HMC is working towards verification by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 trauma center with the highest international standards. Dr Rifat Latifi, Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona in the USA came to HMC in 2010 to work under Dr Al Thani, as Medical Director of Trauma Services and to guide HMC through the verification process. Commenting on the Trauma Centre initiative, Dr Latifi said, "Our vision is to have a State-wide trauma service, with a well-distributed infrastructure of acute care hospitals and other facilities all working together in a system that would become a model across the Middle East and beyond. We will also build human capacity and expertise through our trauma and critical care fellowship programme that will enable us to train enough trauma surgeons to actually export from Qatar.