This has been a very busy year for the Georgia Committee on Trauma. The main focus this year has been securing funding for a Georgia Trauma System. A Joint Comprehensive State Trauma Services Study Committee was created by Senate Resolution 785 during the 2006 Legislative Session of the Georgia General Assembly. The Committee was charged with studying our current system and making recommendations to improve trauma care. The Committee consisted of 5 Senators and 5 members of the House of Representatives. The five Senators were Cecil Staton, Co-Chair, David Adelman, Greg Goggans, Renee Unterman and Eric Johnson. The five members from the House of Representatives were Larry O'Neal, Co-Chair, Mickey Channell, Austin Scott, Gene Maddox and Johnny Floyd.

The Committee held four public meetings around the state and met January 4th at the Capitol to release their recommendations. In brief, the Committee recognizes that the state trauma system is in crisis due to multiple issues which include but are not limited to physician on-call coverage, lack of an appropriate number of trauma centers, lack of 911 coverage in all counties, declining number of EMS personnel and staggering uncompensated economic burden on the existing trauma centers. They recommend the creation of a Georgia Trauma Commission. The Commission will consist of nine members, five of whom will be appointed by the Governor, two by the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, and two by the Lt. Governor. The responsibilities of the Commission will be oversight of the Georgia Trauma Care Fund and interaction with the Georgia State Office of EMS and Trauma to further develop a state wide system.

The Georgia Trauma Fund will be a state administered fund with all money reserved for the operation of a Georgia Trauma System. Suggestions for legislative initiatives for funding include the following:

1. Diversion of a percent (10%) of the Georgia Insurance Premium Tax from Georgia's General Fund into the Georgia Trauma Fund.
2. Establishment of an additional $5.00 surcharge on motor vehicle tag purchases. The revenue from this surcharge will be deposited into the Georgia Trauma Fund.
3. Establishment of an increase the monthly cell phone charge from $.25 to $.50 for E - 911. The extra $.25 will be diverted to the Georgia Trauma Fund.
4. The addition to the Georgia Income Tax form that allows the individual to contribute 5% of their tax return or $5.00 to the Georgia Trauma Fund.

Trauma centers should receive a bi-annual appropriation from the fund. A standardized amount will be decided on by the commission. Possible criteria to help define this standardized amount are three-year average of annual trauma cases; annual amount of uncompensated trauma care administered; expenditures compensating specialists and physicians for taking call; 3 year annual average cost of readiness. It is also recommended that physicians who provide uncompensated calls for trauma be compensated. These appropriations will be distributed on a bi-annual basis and will be paid on a formula to be set by the Commission. Additional money will be reserved to help recruit other hospitals to be a part of the trauma system.

Please contact your local legislator (see legislative links on home page) and let them know how important it is to support trauma funding during this legislative session. I believe we are on the verge of significant funding. There are many details that need to be address but this is a good start. Remember, this is not legislation but recommendation from the Trauma Study Committee.

Dennis Ashley MD, FACS
Chairperson, Trauma Committee