Newswise — CHICAGO (March 16, 2022): The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) kicked off its 100-year anniversary during last week’s ACS COT Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington. Throughout the year, the ACS COT will further raise public awareness of traumatic injury as a major public health issue and advocate for investment in the development of a national trauma and emergency preparedness system and sustainable research funding proportionate to the public health burden of injury.
The ACS COT was formed in 1922 as the Committee on Fractures. The scope of the committee expanded over time to include other forms of traumatic injury, adding 'and Other Trauma' to the name. It officially became the Committee on Trauma in 1949.
The ACS COT has a long history of leading the way in improving trauma care. Since its early days, the Committee has transformed the care of the injured patient by setting standards for emergency trauma care and industrial, automobile, and traffic safety, and is involved today in important work related to firearm injury and violence prevention, among many other areas.
“A serious injury is often seen as a moment of crisis, but it has a lifetime of impact. While we celebrate 100 years of transformative advances in trauma care, we commit to continuing our mission to reduce the burden of traumatic injury through prevention efforts and a system of care that that ensures optimal outcomes for all,” said Eileen M. Bulger, MD, FACS, Medical Director of ACS Trauma Programs.
“Looking to the Future through the Lens of Legacy”
The theme of the 100th anniversary celebration is "Looking to the Future through the Lens of Legacy." This theme underscores the role of the next generation of trauma surgeons in furthering the mission of the ACS COT by developing and implementing programs that support injury prevention and ensure optimal patient outcomes across the continuum of care.
Key strategies for the ACS COT’s future include establishing a federally funded National Trauma and Emergency Preparedness system of care, expanding the Trauma Quality Improvement Program and reporting to improve outcomes for trauma patients, decreasing the incidence of firearm injury through research and advocacy efforts, and supporting access to care and optimal outcomes for all patients around the world.
“By continuing to focus on doing the right thing for the patient, we know the COT will continue to develop innovative programs that set the standard for optimal trauma care. We are excited to see what the next 100 years will bring,” said Jeffrey D. Kerby, MD, PhD, FACS, Chair of the ACS COT.
A 100th anniversary commemorative book, also titled Looking to the Future through the Lens of Legacy, is now available to order. In addition to the commemorative book, an interactive timeline has been developed to capture a visual representation of the people and events that shaped how we care for the injured patient.
Highlights from the first 100 years
The overriding principle throughout the ACS COT’s first 100 years is a commitment to quality care for trauma patients. Major milestones over the ACS COT’s first 100 years include the following:
- During World War II, the Committee on Fractures corresponded with military medical leaders to advance the principles of blood transfusion and optimal fracture care.
- In 1955, the ACS COT testified before Congress as part of a national campaign for increased automobile safety and mandatory use of seatbelts.
- In 1960, the ACS COT established a program, known as the Field Program, to develop and implement standards for emergency departments and ambulance services.
- In 1976, the first edition of “Optimal Hospital Resources for Care of the Seriously Injured,” now known as Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient, was published. This manual sets forth standards for hospitals to implement to provide optimal care for injured patients as an ACS-COT verified trauma center.
- In 1980, the ACS COT held the first Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS), which has become an international standard for education of health care providers in the early management of injured patients.
- In 1986, the first guidelines for field triage of injured patients were published, establishing local emergency medical service triage protocols.
- In 1995, the ACS COT developed the National Trauma Databank. It evolved into the Trauma Quality Improvement Program, which launched in 2010 collecting data from over 800 trauma centers across the U.S. and providing risk-adjusted outcomes to participating trauma centers.
- In 2013, the ACS COT’s launched a comprehensive strategy to address the challenge of firearm injury prevention through a public health approach focused on firearm safety and addressing the root causes of violence.
- In 2015, the ACS COT supported the launch of the STOP THE BLEED® campaign, which has taught over 1.8 million first responders the life-saving skills of hemorrhage control in over 120 countries.
Throughout its legacy, the ACS COT has been extensively involved in trauma education. The Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®) Course, launched in 1980, is now in its 10th edition and is the standard for educating physicians and advanced practice providers in the early care of the injured patient. The ACS COT has developed a number of courses to meet the needs of trauma systems including the Rural Trauma Team Development Course©, the Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness Course, and Advanced Disaster Medical Response Course, as well as training in advanced surgical skills for trauma.
The ACS COT was also instrumental in the formation of the Hartford Consensus. In response to the tragic Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012, the ACS brought together a group from the medical community and representatives from the federal government, the National Security Council, the U.S. military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and governmental and nongovernmental emergency medical response organizations. The committee created a protocol for national policy to enhance survivability from active shooter and intentional mass casualty events. The Hartford Consensus helped lead to STOP THE BLEED®, launched in October of 2015 by the White House, with a call to action to begin training more people to become immediate responders during a bleeding emergency until professional help arrives. The ACS STOP THE BLEED® program is operated under a licensing agreement granted by the Department of Defense.
The ACS COT will continue the 100th anniversary celebration in conjunction with the ACS Clinical Congress 2022, October 16–20, with events such as the Scudder Oration on Trauma and a Special Session examining the accomplishments and a vision for the future of the COT.
Visit the ACS website for more information on the COT 100 Anniversary Celebration.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 84,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
About the ACS Committee on Trauma (ACS COT)
Formed in 1922, the ACS COT has put forth a continual effort to develop and implement programs that support injury prevention and ensure optimal patient outcomes across the continuum of care. Today, trauma activities are administered through a 100-member committee overseeing a field force of more than 3,500 Fellows who are working to develop and implement meaningful programs for trauma care in local, regional, national, and international arenas. These programs incorporate advocacy, education, trauma center and trauma system resources, best practice creation, outcome assessment, and continuous quality improvement. The COT strives to eliminate preventable deaths and disabilities across the globe by preventing injury and improving the outcomes of trauma patients before, during, and after hospitalization.
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