New Indiana Rule May Save Lives
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana health officials say a new rule may save the lives of trauma patients.
The rule adopted by the state’s Emergency Medical Services Commission should provide critical quality care during the first 60 minutes following a traumatic injury.
The rule states that after emergency medical personnel assess the condition of a trauma patient, they should determine if the patient falls into the most severe categories of trauma injury as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If so, the patient must be taken to the nearest certified state trauma center. Indiana has eight, located in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and South Bend.
Exceptions include whether doing so will take more than 45 minutes or if the patient needs more immediate care