R Adams Cowley, M.D.
A pioneer in trauma care and emergency medical systems, applied military
medical concepts of triage and rapid evacuation to the civilian sector.
The result was Maryland's emergency medical services (EMS) system,
which became a model for other such systems throughout the world.
Maryland's EMS system is a network of hospitals, specialty referral centers,
a statewide emergency communications network, State Police medevac
helicopters, and hundreds of ambulances based in fire/EMS departments.
Although trauma denotes any physical injury, patients with the most severe
trauma require a regionalized trauma system with highly specialized resources
and clinical expertise. As defined in Maryland law, the Shock Trauma Center
is the "core element of the state's emergency medical system and shall continue
to serve as the state's primary adult trauma clinical resource center for
Maryland's comprehensive system of emergency medical services."
In this "core" role, the center is designated statewide referral site for patients
with multisystem injury, acute complex orthopaedic injury, spinal cord and
column injuries, and brain injuries; patients who are at risk for multiple organ
dysfunction; and those who require musculoskeletal reconstruction or
hyperbaric medicine therapy.
The Shock Trauma Center, in coordination with other components of the
University of Maryland Medical System, such as Kernan Hospital and Deaton
Hospital, works cooperatively to provide a comprehensive continuum of care.
The director of the Shock Trauma Center is appointed by the University of
Maryland Medical System, subject to approval by the Governor.
Research into the causes and course of traumatic injury is an essential aspect
of work at the Shock Trauma Center, allowing staff to intervene with more
effective treatments. The clinical trauma registry compiles extensive information
about prehospital care, acute care and rehabilitation. This information is
invaluable in establishing overall patterns of injury and response to treatment.
In conjunction with the National Study Center for Trauma and Emergency
Medical Systems, Shock Trauma staff members conduct research involving the
origins of traumatic injury.
The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland
Medical Center in Baltimore is the only free-standing trauma center in the state
solely dedicated to the critical care needs of trauma patients. As the lead hospital
in Maryland's emergency medical system, the Shock Trauma Center is
committed to strengthening the total system of care in Maryland, improving
clinical outcomes and achieving measurable improvements in injury prevention.
The center also serves as a national and international resource for the development
of future leaders who will advance the development of trauma and emergency
care systems.

Paramedic Neomi Zvi - Feb 2000