Milestones for Trauma Programs at QEII and IWK Grace

The Provincial Trauma Program has taken a giant step toward improving patient survival rates with the official opening today of a dedicated trauma operating room at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

The operating room enhances the care available to Nova Scotians who suffer multiple trauma injuries and need immediate surgery.

Premier Russell MacLellan and Health Minister Jim Smith attended the opening and congratulated staff from both the QEII and IWK Grace Health Centre, whose trauma programs recently earned national accreditation for five years.

"These are significant milestones for both programs," said Premier MacLellan. "We are committed to high quality trauma care for all Nova Scotians and we are pleased to see these programs come so far."

The trauma programs at the QEII and IWK Grace are the first stages of a comprehensive trauma program for the entire province.

The trauma program at the QEII started in 1997 and co-ordinates a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals to treat trauma patients as soon as they arrive at the hospital.

"When trauma patients arrive at the QEII, a team of emergency and surgical specialists meet the patients in the trauma room of the emergency department," said Dr. Ross Leighton, trauma director at the QEII and medical director of the Provincial Trauma Program for Emergency Health Services. "Now we can improve treatment even more because we have immediate access to an operating room."

"The dedicated trauma OR is the next step in the expanding continuum of care, which is so important when treating people with serious injuries," said Dr. Smith. "I want to congratulate the QEII, the IWK Grace and our Emergency Health Services division for their work."

The continuum of care begins when a person phones 911 and is connected with paramedics in the medical communications centre. It then moves to the ground ambulance paramedics and first responders around the province, as well as the air medical flight crews who use their skills to treat the ill and injured patients before and during transport to hospital.

In addition to funding from the Department of Health, a bequest to the QEII Foundation of more than $150,000 from the family of the late John Blackie Calder of Pictou County made the opening of the trauma room and dedicated OR possible.