Essay on Public Health Example: Trauma Systems

The functional constituents of a trauma care system include four aspect which are; injury prevention, pre-hospital care, acute care facilities and post-hospital care. However, it is essential to understand that public health also plays a significant role in each of these operational components. In establishing the role of public health in each of these operational components of trauma care system, it is important to understand that trauma care system deals with individuals who are injured and require the appropriate level of attention to eliminate or minimise the risk of further damage or even death. In this way, public health plays a critical role in injury prevention through the provision of timely diagnosis and ensuring that further injury is avoided. According to Mann et al. (2005), the multidisciplinary groups of health care professionals in public health are vital in diagnosing injury and the manner in which a trauma patient should be handled for prevention of injury. In pre-hospital care, the health care personnel can give the most basic and viable care to trauma patients on the site before the patient can be transferred to a health care facility. Such care ensures that the patient receives health care attention before it is too late and that the situation is contained or managed to the best ability before the patient can access treatment. Public health also plays a role in acute care facilities through provision of professional health services and facilities that are required for the actual treatment of the patient. Such facilities include laboratories, theatres, and specialised medical equipment for treatment. In post-hospital care, public health makes it possible for check-ups and follow-ups of patients to happen to monitor recovery and rehabilitation of a trauma patient.

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Successful implementation plan for disaster preparedness has immense benefits since the implementation of such a plan focuses managing and responding to disaster from various fronts to make an impact that is positive and minimises death, injury and losses. For instance, the local trauma system as implemented enhances community health through various ways. One of the ways in which it enhances community health is through the establishment of a well-structured system of injury prevention which helps in minimising injury and death caused by trauma. The trauma system provides not only injury prevention but also provides critical rehabilitation and care, which is incorporated into the communitys public health system. The identification of risk factors in the implementation plan for disaster preparedness makes it easier to deal with potential aspects that may cause death in trauma patients including using the appropriate and identified methods of intervention that minimise the risk of death from trauma. This also means that the severity of disabilities that is caused by trauma can be reduced effectively by following the accurate and effective intervention measures and strategies set out in the plan. The local trauma system through such a plan is prepared to reduce death from trauma and severity of injuries and disabilities through the proper use of resources for trauma patients that require specialised care or acute care and prioritising prevention of trauma. The resources that are needed for the various aspects of the trauma system are identified in a clear manner, positioned and used in a way that guarantees trauma patients have access to the suitable care levels in a manner that it organised, timely and cost-efficient (Liberman et al., 2004).

The fundamental infrastructure support components for comprehensive trauma care system for disaster preparedness include aspects of professional resources, leadership, education, advocacy, technology and research, information management, and finances. However, focusing on disaster preparedness and response about predictable or exceptional aspects entails looking into the best preparation for a trauma system that is effective. In this way, the trauma system has to be a central part of the community or state disaster management plan and therefore needs to work in collaboration with the public health system to provide effective preparedness. Education, research, the use of technology, proper allocation of funds and resource allocations have to be incorporated into the infrastructure that underlies disaster preparedness in the trauma care system.

References

Liberman, M., Mulder, D. S., Lavoie, A., & Sampalis, J. S. (2004). Implementation of a trauma care system: evolution through evaluation. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 56(6), 1330-1335.

Mann, N. C., MacKenzie, E., Teitelbaum, S. D., Wright, D., & Anderson, C. (2005). Trauma system structure and viability in the current healthcare environment: a state-by-state assessment. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 58(1), 136-147.