State Trauma Advisory Council Mission and Vision

June 2007

Mission

The Minnesota Statewide Trauma System, a Department of Health program, is a voluntary, inclusive network of currently trained and equipped trauma care providers throughout the State ensuring that optimal trauma care is available and accessible everywhere.

Vision

All Minnesota hospitals will participate in a fully funded trauma system that:

• Is of the highest quality
• Is seamless across the continuum of care (prevention, care delivery, rehabilitation)
• Is safe, timely, efficient, patient-centered, and patient-driven
• Uses outcome data and continuous clinical quality improvement to evolve
• Allows many trauma patients to be treated in their own communities
• Eliminates all delays in transfers to definitive care
• Is embraced and valued by citizens and policymakers
• Is fully integrated into the disaster preparedness and public health systems

Values

• A trauma care system that is based on obtaining the best outcomes for injured patients
• Is mindful of overall system costs and scarce specialist resources
• Data-driven, in-house trauma performance improvement (PI) programs will guide trauma care in every designated hospital
• A supportive environment for hospitals, which allows for site-based education that is realistic, affordable, and accessible
• The system will allow for existing referral patterns
• Over-triage is better than under-triage