Conclusion

Americans view basic health care as an unalienable right. Yet, for more than half of all Americans, appropriate treatment after injury will be, at best, unorganized and, at worst, unavailable, resulting in death and disability for thousands this year alone.

Trauma is predictable. It happened yesterday, it is happening today, and it will happen tomorrow. Fortunately, some answers already exist. There is tremendous consensus currently among trauma stakeholders. With subtle differences on minor points, experts and professionals in the field agree on the major points outlined in this report.

Broad-based groups of professionals involved with trauma care have outlined this plan to reduce death and disability from the disease of trauma. What they need now is support-- support from policy makers, support from other health providers, and support from the community.

The first step is to build, to the extent permitted by law, a national base of advocacy for implementation of enabling legislation and dedication of funding for the completion of the Trauma Systems Planning and Development Act of 1990. Finalizing this effort, which began years ago, will not only serve the thousands of Americans who are injured in single incidents across the nation on a daily basis, but will also add greatly to the readiness of the nation for future potential mass casualty situations.

This is an urgent call for action. When it comes to trauma, time is truly a life and death matter.