September 30, 2025
In the latest episode of The Operative Word podcast, host Dr. Lillian Erdahl is joined by Drs. Jordan Rook and Lorraine Kelley-Quon to discuss their recent Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) article, “Expanding the Public Health Role of Pediatric Trauma Centers: Drug Screening for Adolescent Trauma Patients.” The authors found that biochemical drug screening for injured adolescents is decreasing at pediatric trauma centers, despite increasing national adolescent overdose deaths. Given high rates of substance use among injured adolescents, this is a missed opportunity to intervene on problematic substance use and prevent future adolescent overdose deaths. A subscription to JACS is one of your many benefits of ACS membership.