LEADERS' BLOG

Dr. Glen Tinkoff MD, FACS, FCCM

Vice Chair, Department of Surgery

System Chief, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

UH Hospitals

Dr. Frank Jacono MD, ATSF

Division Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Virginia Hubbell Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

You don’t plan for trauma. It arrives without warning — an accident on the highway, a fall at home, a sudden act of violence. In those moments, your survival depends on the strength of your local emergency response and the trauma care network behind it.
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Trauma is not only a personal emergency — it’s a public health crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, traumatic injuries are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the number one cause for people under 45. They rob families of more productive years of life than any disease, yet trauma care doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.
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At UH, we’ve spent the past eight years strengthening our trauma response — starting with our UH Cleveland Medical Center, which in 2017 was verified as a Level 1 trauma center. That designation represents the highest level of trauma care possible, and it means we stand ready 24/7 
with the specialists, equipment, and expertise needed to treat the most critically injured patients.
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‌But our commitment extends far beyond our flagship hospital. Through deep collaboration with EMS agencies and partnerships with MetroHealth and Cleveland Clinic, UH has built a regional trauma care network that ensures patients across Northeast Ohio get the right care in the right place at the right time.
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In fact, most trauma patients don’t need to be transferred to a Level 1 center. That’s why we’ve invested in trauma care closer to home: seven of our community hospitals —including UH Elyria, UH Geauga, UH Lake West, UH Parma, UH Portage, and UH St. John medical centers, as well as our partner Southwest General — are now verified as Level 3 trauma centers. Together, they care for thousands of injured patients each year with skill, speed, and compassion.
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When needed, our Transfer Referral Center seamlessly connects those hospitals with UH Cleveland Medical Center, initiating rapid transfers for patients who need more advanced care. The result is a trauma system that works as one — saving lives across our region every day.
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Caring for a Patient in Crisis: The Quiet Power of Critical Care
 
‌When a patient is too sick to be cared for in the regular part of the hospital, another highly specialized group often takes over: our critical care teams.
 
‌Critical care doesn’t often make headlines. You won’t see billboards advertising the ICU. But make no mistake — when a patient’s condition turns life-threatening, it’s the critical care team that steps in to provide complex interventions, advanced monitoring, and round-the-clock support. They’re the safety net behind everything we do.
 
‌Whether it’s a patient in respiratory failure, someone recovering from trauma or emergency surgery, or complications from cancer treatment or sepsis, these teams are the ones who manage it all — often unseen, but always essential.
 
‌Critical care is not a solo act. It’s a finely tuned orchestra of ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, APPs, and physician specialists. And at the center are intensivists — doctors specially trained to care for our sickest patients.
 
‌This isn’t just happening at UH Cleveland Medical Center. It’s happening every day in our community hospitals, where our integrated, systemwide critical care teams deliver the same high standard of care — keeping patients close to home, family, and the support they need to heal.
 
‌It’s easy to take this kind of care for granted, especially if you’ve never needed it. But across our 16-county region, UH’s trauma and critical care teams are always ready. Whether you arrive through the ED, get admitted for a procedure, or become seriously ill while already hospitalized — these teams are here. Their quiet, constant presence may one day save your life or the life of someone you love.
 
‌So the next time you pass one of our hospitals, remember: inside, there’s a team working every hour of every day to be there in the moment you’ll need them most — even if you never expect to.

December 5, 2024

The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Kempinski, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN as its next President. She will assume this role on January 1, 2025, upon the retirement of current President, Juliet Altenburg.

“We are delighted to welcome Amy Kempinski as our new President,” said Dr Henry Boateng, Chair of the PTSF Board of Directors. “After a rigorous nationwide search, including input from trauma care experts, organizational partners, and PTSF Board members, Amy’s comprehensive understanding of trauma systems and professional leadership made her the clear choice to lead PTSF into the next chapter of innovative trauma system development.”

Kempinski, who previously served as the Foundation's Vice President, brings extensive experience in trauma systems and clinical expertise to this role. Her distinguished career spans the trauma spectrum, and her national influence is exemplified through her role as a member of the American College of Surgeons System Consultation Team, and her work as a consultant and site surveyor for trauma centers across the United States.

A Past President of the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN), Kempinski demonstrated her commitment to advancing trauma care through numerous leadership positions and educational initiatives. She is an active member in multiple professional organizations and has notable contributions to the field, including publications focused on trauma accreditation, performance improvement, crew resource management, leadership, and injury prevention.

In her new role, Kempinski will oversee PTSF's mission of improving outcomes for trauma patients through accreditation, education, and research across Pennsylvania's trauma centers. She will lead strategic initiatives to enhance the state's trauma care system and strengthen collaboration among healthcare providers.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to Juliet Altenburg MSN, RN, for her dedicated service to PTSF since 2000. Her time with PTSF caps a 40-year career in trauma nursing, trauma system development, and advocacy. We wish her well as she embarks on retirement from PTSF and shares her passion for service in the years ahead.

For Grady, Atlanta’s only Level I trauma center, attaining this gold standard recognition reaffirms its position as one of the country’s leading public academic healthcare systems.

The Peregrine Award, recognizing advancements in patient care, received submissions from over 50 trauma centers worldwide. With approximately 2,500 trauma patients treated annually, the hospital has been committed to research and quality improvement since 2022 when Texas Health Dallas won in the Level I and II Trauma Centers category. 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/safe-kids-worldwide_at-safe-kids-we-are-always-proud-when-our-activity-7149144692327153665-U4ki

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare today announced that Trey Eubanks, MD, has been named president of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Eubanks is also Le Bonheur’s current Surgeon-in-Chief and University of Tennessee Health Science Center Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatric Surgery.

Eubanks has served in the role of Le Bonheur’s interim president since March 2023. He will assume the permanent position later this month. Dr. Eubanks also holds the Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is a member of the medical staffs at MLH, St. Jude and Regional One

MLH President and CEO Michael Ugwueke, DHA, FACHE, formed an accomplished search committee of well-respected physicians and leaders to conduct a national search. The committee was led by Dr. James Downing, president and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Edith-Kelly Green, local business leader and MLH board member.

Eubanks has served at Le Bonheur for more than 20 years. In addition to his role as surgeon-in- chief and many leadership roles at Le Bonheur, he has served as chief of the medical staff and president of the medical staff for MLH. Among his many accomplishments, Eubanks was instrumental in Le Bonheur earning national verifications as both a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons; and has helped Le Bonheur be recognized for the 13th consecutive year as a “Best Children’s Hospital” by U.S. News & World Report.

“Trey is a strong leader who has helped Le Bonheur serve children in our community well and for many years. He is the right person to lead Le Bonheur’s incredible pediatric experts as they continue to grow in national reputation and community support,” Ugwueke said.

“I am honored and humbled to be chosen as Le Bonheur’s president,” said Eubanks. “I appreciate Michael and the search committee for placing this trust in me. Le Bonheur is an incredibly special place and all the people who work here show up every day to do what’s right for kids. I believe in our mission and I am honored to stand beside our stellar faculty and staff as we continue to provide excellent care for kids to help them live healthy lives.”

Le Bonheur is nearing completion of a $95 million expansion set to open in 2024 that will provide needed space, technology and infrastructure for the nationally-renowned Le Bonheur Heart Institute and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. During Eubanks’ tenure as interim president, Le Bonheur has raised more than $12 million in new funding, opened the new Seacrest Studio at Le Bonheur, and become the first and only hospital in Tennessee to achieve the Children’s Surgical Center Level I Verification.

A native of Tunica, Miss., Eubanks attended The University of Mississippi, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. He then earned a doctorate of medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Eubanks then completed his residency and research fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He then completed a pediatric surgery fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern in Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.

Eubanks is certified by the American Board of Surgery for both general and pediatric surgery and is licensed to practice in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. He has been named a diplomate by the National Board of Medical Examiners.

He is certified as an instructor for Advanced Trauma Life Support and Pediatric Acute Life Support.

Dr. Eubanks has been named a Memphis Business Journal Top 40 Under 40, Memphis Magazine Top Doctors, Memphis Business Journal Health Care Heroes, Memphis Medical News In Charge Leader and received the Joseph Weinberg Leadership Award from the Children’s Emergency Care Alliance.

He is board chair-elect of the Trauma Center Association of America. Eubanks is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the Memphis Surgical Society, Tennessee Emergency Medical Services for Children, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, American Pediatric Surgical Association, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Trauma Society and the American Association of Physician Leadership.

Dr. Eubanks and his wife Angela have five children and four grandchildren. The family resides in East Memphis.

About Le Bonheur Children’s

Le Bonheur Children’s, based in Memphis, Tenn., provides expert care for children in more than 45 pediatric subspecialties, encompassing robust community programs, a pediatric research institute and regional outpatient centers in Jackson, Tenn., Tupelo, Miss., and Jonesboro, Ark. Le Bonheur also features a 255-bed hospital in Memphis and a 21-bed satellite hospital within Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tenn. As the primary pediatric teaching affiliate for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur trains more than 350 pediatricians and specialists each year. Nationally recognized, Le Bonheur has been named a U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital for 12 consecutive years and is a Magnet-designated facility, the ultimate credential for high-quality patient care and nursing excellence.

For more information, please call (901) 287-6030.

About Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has been caring for patients and families regardless of their ability to pay for more than 100 years. Guided by roots in the United Methodist Church and founded in 1918 to help meet the growing need for quality healthcare in the greater Memphis area, MLH has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive healthcare system with 13,000 Associates supporting six hospitals, including nationally ranked Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, a hospice residence and physician and specialty practices serving communities across the Mid-South. From transplants and advanced heart procedures to expert neurology services and compassionate cancer care, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare offers clinical expertise with a focus on improving every life we touch.

Outside of the staff-level agreement, the Chair’s staff is requesting feedback on policy to require that all BARDA and CDC-supported products be sold to the Federal Government or in the U.S. commercial market at the lowest price among G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) and at a reasonable price. Brackets surrounding this provision in Title VI – Additional Policies Outside the Staff Agreement for Stakeholder Feedback – indicate that this policy has not been agreed to.

Also outside of the staff-level agreement, the Ranking Member’s staff is requesting feedback on policy to incentivize the development of more medical countermeasures (MCMs) by extending the Priority Review Voucher program through the duration of PAHPA and (1) providing a new, non-transferrable priority review voucher to companies that develop new MCMs on top of the transferrable voucher they currently receive; and (2) including threats to the Armed Forces. Brackets surrounding this provision in Title VI – Additional Policies Outside the Staff Agreement for Stakeholder Feedback – indicate that this policy has not been agreed to.

The Senate HELP Committee is requesting comments on the discussion draft. Comments must be submitted to PAHPA2023Comments@help.senate.gov by Monday, July 10, at 10:00 a.m. ET, to be considered.

First passed in 2006, PAHPA is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. In March, Chairman Sanders joined with Ranking Member Cassidy, M.D., and Sens. Casey and Romney in a bipartisan requestfor input from public health officials, health care providers, and other stakeholders on policies the committee should consider, improve upon, and address during this reauthorization of PAHPA.

Last month, the HELP Committee held a hearingto consider the reauthorization of PAHPA and heard from experts including Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, and FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.

Read the text of the draft bill, here.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval honored Damar Hamlin's care team at UC Medical Center Thursday with a key to the city.

Pureval said Hamlin could not have received care at a better place. He said the professionals at UC represent the absolute best in their field and added the city of Cincinnati is grateful for the heroic, expert care they offer patients every single day.

While Damar Hamlin’s case was noteworthy because it was on national television," he said, "it was not noteworthy for the care that he got because every single person, whether you're a professional athlete or someone just off the street, receives the same kind of professional, first-in-class care that takes place here at UC."

Read the entire areticle by WHAM/WKRC here

We are thrilled to report that our two major advocacy initiatives are included in the massive Congressional spending bill that is scheduled to be passed before Christmas. The funding for the Mission Zero program will be doubled to $4 million; and the reauthorization of the trauma care grants program is included. This latter provision, when funded, will provide competitive grants to trauma centers, expand grants to improve trauma care to rural areas, and provide grants to states to coordinate and improve emergency medical services and trauma care during public health emergencies.

We could not have achieved this success without your support and participation in our advocacy efforts. A special “shout-out” goes to the Board and those of you serving on our Advocacy Committee and those who joined us during our Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. We are especially appreciative of the time and effort provided by the victims of trauma who shared their stories with members of Congress and their staffs and focused attention on the role that trauma care plays in our nation.

The spending package funds the federal government for the remainder of the current budget year (ending on September 30, 2023). Many other significant health care items are also included in this bill:

• The Medicare low-volume hospital payment adjustment and the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program are extended for two years through September 30, 2024.
• The physician payment cut included in the final Medicare physician fee schedule is partially restored for 2023 and limits the cut to 2% rather than the proposed 4.4%. For 2024, a 1.25% increase will be applied to whatever amount CMS sets in the next physician fee schedule regulation.
• Medicare telehealth flexibilities adopted in the last appropriations package will continue through December 31, 2024.
• The Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers adopted during the pandemic will continue through December 31, 2024.
• Various mental health provisions are also included.

Once Congress votes on the package, it will be sent to the President for final signature. Passage of our two key initiatives sets the stage for next year’s Lobby Day in D.C. We will be seeking additional funds for the Mission Zero program and an appropriation to fund the Trauma Care Grants program, now that it has been reauthorized. We look forward to your continued support and participation!

Michel Aboutanos, M.D., is the 2022 recipient to the Governor’s EMS Award for Physician with Outstanding Contribution to EMS, known as the Frank M. Yeiser Trophy. Aboutanos serves in several important roles to provide emergency care in the VCU Health System. He’s currently the chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgical Services at VCU, the medical director of VCU Medical Center’s Level I Trauma Center and Trauma System Network, and the director of the VCU Injury and Violence Prevention Program.

As a member of the Virginia EMS Advisory Board, Aboutanos spearheaded the development of the Virginia Trauma System Plan, an integrated plan with the Virginia EMS system to optimize the statewide care of trauma patients during the preinjury/ preventive phase, prehospital phase, acute hospital phase, and post acute (rehabilitation) phase. He was also the first Trauma System coordinator on the EMS executive committee and served as the inaugural chair of the Trauma Systems Administrative and Governance Committee. Currently he serves as the State Chair of the American College of Surgeon Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Last month, Aboutanos was recognized regionally by the Old Dominion Emergency Medical Services Alliance (ODEMSA) for his important role in partnering with the EMS system to improve patient outcomes.

Original Article: https://www.vcuhealth.org/news/head-of-vcu-trauma-center-wins-governors-award

Read University Hospital's full press release at https://news.uhhospitals.org/news-releases/university-hospitals-awarded-federal-grant-to-assist-with-us-military-readiness.htm.

October 4th, 2022

Mission Zero Grant Funding Awarded to Trauma Centers

TCAA is pleased to share the hospitals chosen for Mission Zero Grant Funding. The Military Civilian Partnership for Trauma Readiness Grant will be awarded to the following hospitals:

What is the Mission Zero Grant Program?

This funding will help to ensure trauma care readiness by providing federal grants that can be used to integrate military trauma care providers into civilian trauma centers. This program was established by the Military Injury Surgical Systems Integrated Operationally Nationwide to Achieve ZERO Preventable Deaths Act or “MISSION ZERO Act”, which was authorized by the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019.

The MISSION ZERO Act stems from the June 2016 National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) report entitled, "A National Trauma Care System: Integrating Military and Civilian Trauma Systems to Achieve Zero Preventable Deaths After Injury." This report outlines 11 recommendations necessary to secure a national trauma system and sets the goal of achieving zero preventable deaths. Recommendation number 11 of the NASEM report calls for the establishment of military-civilian trauma partnerships to help further reduce the number of preventable traumatic deaths.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention trauma is the leading cause of death for children and adults under age 44, killing more Americans than AIDS and stroke combined. The funding provided by the MISSION ZERO Act will allow our members to continue to save lives, enhance trauma training for our military healthcare personnel and help trauma centers manage and recover from mandatory furloughs of surgeons, nurses and other staff that were a direct result of the COVID 19 pandemic.

TCAA and its members wish to express our gratitude to Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), the bill’s sponsor, as well as Energy & Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Ranking Member Brett Guthrie (R-KY) for helping to advance this critical legislation.

The legislation reauthorizes federal grant programs to support national trauma care, readiness, and coordination and improve trauma care in rural areas. The bill requires the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to award 10 grants for trauma centers to:

· Strengthen coordination and communication

· Develop approaches to improve emergency medical and trauma system access, including distribution of patients during an emergency

· Establish, implement and/or disseminate evidence-based or informed practices across facilities within the system to improve outcomes

· Conduct activities to support clinical research

It also aims to improve trauma care in rural areas with grants to support research and demonstration projects that improve emergency medical services and trauma care through development of innovative technology and training, education, transportation, prehospital care and other priorities.

Finally, it invests in regional trauma care readiness and coordination by directing ASPR to work with States to develop guidance and resources that support states’ emergency medical services and trauma care coordination during public health emergencies.

The bill will next go to the Senate for consideration. A companion bill (S. 3566), sponsored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), has been integrated into a larger legislative package, the PREVENT Pandemics Act (S. 3799), by Senate HELP Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC).

As authorizing legislation, H.R. 8163 represents the first major step for TCAA’s ongoing advocacy effort to secure continued funding for these critical grants. Should the bill be approved by the Senate and signed into law, the grant funding will need to be provided through the annual federal appropriations process.

The Improving Trauma Systems and Emergency Care Act is a top TCAA priority; the organization and its members have been championing the measure throughout the last two Congresses. On June 29, Dr. Kevin Croston, TCAA Chair-Elect, provided in-person testimony on the bill at a E&C Health Subcommittee hearing entitled “Investing in Public Health: Legislation to Support Patients, Workers, and Research.”

U.S. Army Medical Personnel to Train at Grady's Level 1 Trauma Center

Grady Memorial Hospital has become the latest site of the U.S. Army Military-Civilian Trauma Team Training (AMCT3), enabling military medical personnel to share knowledge and advances in combat casualty care and learn from their civilian colleagues at Grady's nationally verified Level 1 trauma center. The partnership was formalized during a signing ceremony at Grady on September 19.

This military-civilian partnership between Grady and Army Medicine will work towards achieving the goal of eliminating preventable trauma-related deaths on battlefields or in civilian settings.

"We are excited to join forces with the U.S. Army to help our nation's heroes become better equipped to treat trauma injuries that occur during combat," said John M. Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System. "Grady prides itself in being a teaching hospital. This new partnership will further strengthen our goal of sharing medical knowledge and innovative techniques to improve health outcomes for our community and soldiers on the frontlines."

Read more at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-army-medical-personnel-to-train-at-gradys-level-1-trauma-center-301629079.html

TCAA Attends Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention

On September 10th and 11th, the Trauma Center Association of America joined professionals from 47 medical and health organizations at the Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention in Chicago. The meeting was cohosted by the ACS, American College of Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies. This hybrid in-person and virtual meeting was the second such meeting aimed at developing firearm violence prevention recommendations. It built upon the first Medical Summit’s work from 2019.

The meeting provided an opportunity for an inclusive and collegial dialogue on identifying opportunities for the medical community to reach a consensus-based approach to firearm injury prevention, with a focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of firearm violence while advocating for bipartisan policy solutions to address the issue.

Broadly, topics discussed included:

• The public health approach to firearm violence in the US
• Recent and potential legislative approaches related to prevention
• Addressing violence through community engagement
• Utilizing healthcare resources to influence the social determinants that contribute to violence
• How effective communication on firearm violence from the healthcare sector can influence policy work and community building

Some of the most significant work at the summit came from breakout discussions during each session, where participants worked together to educate one another on their areas of expertise and develop a set of initial recommendations that will drive the coalition’s future action.

The planning committee will compile and disseminate the recommendations and proceedings for participating organizations to consider further. Leaders at the summit also committed to a long-term working relationship (or coalition) and agreed to create an infrastructure for continued longitudinal collaboration so that effective firearm violence prevention education, resources, and policy solutions can be pursued.

Proceedings from the second Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention will be released in the coming months.

Organizations that participated in the summit are below:

AFFIRM at the Aspen Institute
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
American Association for Emergency Psychiatry
American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of
Neurological Surgeons Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Surgeons
American Geriatrics Society
American Medical Association
American Medical Women's Association
American Pediatric Surgical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Nephrology
American Surgical Association
American Thoracic Society
American Trauma Society
Centers for Disease Control
Coalition for National Trauma Research
Council of Medical Specialty Societies
Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Emergency Medicine Residents Association
Emergency Nurses Association
Injury Free Coalition for Kids/Scientific Union for the Reduction of
Gun Violence at Columbia
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
National Association of EMS Physicians
National Medical Association
Orthopaedic Trauma Association
Pediatric Trauma Society
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research
Society of Black Academic Surgeons
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Hospital Medicine
Society of Trauma Nurses
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
Trauma Center Association of America
Trauma Prevention Coalition

Read TCAA's Gun Safety Statement at https://www.traumacenters.org/page/GunSafetyLaw. Visit the Gun Violence Awareness webpage for resources, talking points and more from the National Gun Violence Awareness Campaign.

Over the next three years, the Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA) will serve as a member of the National Quality Forum's (NQF) Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) Rural Health Advisory Group. The MAP Rural Health Advisory Group provides input on access, cost, or quality issues encountered by rural residents, data collection and/or reporting challenges, and potential unintended consequences for rural providers when reviewing measures. The MAP Rural Health Advisory Group participates in the pre-rulemaking process. TCAA is honored to participate on future projects that will improve the health and healthcare of those who live in rural areas of the U.S. For more information on the MAP Rural Health Advisory Group click here.

Read TCAA's comments: tcaa_cms_1770-p_medicare_cy_.pdf

More info on the June 28th testimony at https://www.traumacenters.org/news/609771/House-Introduces-H.R.-8163-Improving-Trauma-Systems-and-Emergency-Care-Act.htm.