The Beginning
In February 1976, a tragedy occurred that would change the first hour of trauma care for patients. Dr. Jim Styner, and orthopedic surgeon, crashed his small plane into a cornfield in rural Nebraska. Dr. Styner sustained serious injuries, three of his children sustained critical injuries, and one child sustained minor injuries. His wife was killed instantly. The care that he and his family received was less than adequate; it was evident that the small rural hospital and its staff had little or no preparation for a situation of this magnitude. There was an obvious lack of training for proper triage and injury treatment. The surgeon, recognizing how inadequate his treatment was stated,” when I can provide better care in the field with limited resources that what my children and I received at the primary care facility, there is something wrong with the system and the system has to be changed.”
Program Development
A new approach to the provision of care for individuals suffering major, life-threatening injury premiered in 1978, the year of the first ATLS Course. In January 1980, the American College of Surgeons introduced the ATLS Course in the U.S. and abroad. Canada joined the ATLS Program the following year. Several countries in Latin and South America joined the ACS Committee on Trauma in 1986 and introduced the ATLS Program in their region. Now, the ATLS program is found in over 50 countries. Under the auspices of the ACS Military Committee on Trauma, the program has been conducted for U.S. military doctors in the United States and around the world.
“For more than a quarter century, the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma has taught the ATLS course to over 1 million doctors in more than 50 countries. ATLS has become the foundation of care for injured patients by teaching a common language and a common approach. The 8th edition was created using an international, multidisciplinary, and evidence-based approach. The result is an ATLS that is contemporary and meaningful in the global community.”
John Fildes, MD, FACS
Chair, American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma
Complementary Courses
Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM) for Medical Students
Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) for Registered Nurses
Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) for Pre-hospital care providers
These courses are based on ATLS philosophies and principles and allow the PHTLS-trained pre-hospital care providers to follow the same principles of care that are core to ATLS and allow the smooth transition of care to the ATLS and ATCN-trained providers in the hospital.
