Following an assessment by the American College of Surgeons of Washington state’s EMS & Trauma System, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will host a series of public forums. The forums are intended to facilitate community feedback on the report’s findings and recommendations. The DOH has also issued a moratorium on any changes to trauma designations, with exceptions for renewals for east and southcentral EMS and trauma regions.
At WSHA, our work is driven by the mission to improve the health of communities across Washington. We are continuously looking for opportunities to engage with our members and support access to health care and strengthen the care delivery system.
We strongly encourage you, our members, to participate in the forums. The feedback gathered at the forums will impact implementation of the report’s suggestions, as well as feed directly into the DOH’s strategic plan for our state’s trauma system. The forum schedule is available online.
Key topics discussed at the forum will include patient safety, access to care, appropriate investment areas and the criteria for the number and location of trauma centers. Attendees will have the opportunity to offer input on how best to modernize the trauma care system and how the health care community can position itself to evolve and progress.
I look forward to continuing to work with you to advocate on behalf of Washington residents.
