Building a trauma center and system in Tuscany, Italy

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence supports the premise that adult trauma centers lower the risk of death for severely injured patients. The same principles have been applied to the pediatric population and mounting research suggests that, as in the adult population, gravely injured children have better outcomes at pediatric trauma centers where personnel trained and experienced in the specific needs and unique physiology of injured children provide care. As in the United States, acute traumatic injury represents an important public healthcare concern to the Tuscan regional government whose goal is to maximize clinical outcomes within available resources. In order to address this problem, the Tuscan regional government has created a new and innovative collaboration between the Meyer Pediatric Hospital/University of Florence School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School to build a pediatric trauma center and regional pediatric trauma referral system. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: This long-term international initiative will seek to develop a demonstration model for pediatric trauma care that may later be replicated elsewhere. The initial goals of the project will focus on expanding the role of the pediatricians working in the emergency department to include the acute care of medical, surgical, orthopedic and multiple trauma patients. This new configuration will closely resemble the single provider model of emergency medical care commonly utilized in the United States. During this transition period to a more broadly trained emergency physician, a multi-disciplinary trauma team will be created and pediatric trauma clinical practice guidelines will be introduced into the emergency department and inpatient care units. Systems measurements will be achieved through a comprehensive quality improvement and risk management program. Ultimately, all Tuscan regional pediatric major trauma will be consolidated at the Meyer Pediatric Hospital in Florence.