Sub-Committees

TRAC-V SYSTEM PLANNING AND PARTICIPATION SUB COMMITTEE

Allied Health Committee

Mission:
To improve all emergency healthcare throughout TRAC-V through education by facilitating the development and implementation of education programs including but not limited to the Annual South Padre Island Symposium.

Goal:
To increase participation and attendance at the South Padre Island Trauma Symposium by:

Recruitment of state and nationally known trauma physicians who are knowledgeable of various trauma related topics
Increase the number of attendees at all professional levels by recruiting state and nationally known speakers
Increase the number of attendees at all professional levels by advertising in local, regional and Mexican newspapers (Bi-lingual capabilities available)
Increase the number of vendors exhibiting their products by beginning early vendor recruitment
Expand to a 3-day event to provide hands-on training to fire, EMS and law enforcement
Holding future symposiums in conjunction with Texas Ambulance Association annual meeting
Expand educational opportunities within the region

Objectives:

Increase exposure of TRAC-V to the local and regional medical community
Disseminate information and education to address standards of care through evidence-based practices to decrease morbidity and mortality within the region.[/su_expand]

By-Laws Committee

Mission:
Conduct at least one annual review of the Trauma Regional Advisory Council’s bylaws and make recommendations for changes and updates.

Cardiac Committee

Mission:
Through a regional collaborative approach, improve cardiovascular health among the Rio Grande Valley residents by evaluating cardiac care, ensuring national guideline-based care in our hospitals and EMS, and advocating for individual and community-based commitment to cardiac health.

Goals:

To develop a regional cardiac plan to ensure consistent, highest quality of care in the Rio Grande Valley.
Identify and address educational opportunities for the community for improved cardiac health.
Identify and address operational and educational opportunities within pre-hospital and hospital systems.

Finance Committee

Mission:
To conduct a yearly review of the Trauma Regional Advisory Councils Financial Statements and make recommendations for investments and/or money management of the TRAC accounts.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities for the Financial Committee include but are not limited to:
Review the accounts and transactions of the TRAC’s accounts on an annual basis
Work in conjunction with the TRAC’s accountants to maintain the account in good standing
Develop recommendations for the TRAC board to invest the surplus funds

Injury Prevention Public/Education/Special Populations

Mission:
To reduce preventable injuries through the implementation of innovative injury prevention initiatives, increase public awareness and education through the collaboration of community and regional organizations.

Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for the Injury Prevention Public Education Committee include but are not limited to:

To monitor injury trends within the region.
Observe legislative issues regarding public injury prevention and support or oppose those that fit into the strategic plan.
Plan, develop and participate in Injury Prevention Activities within the TRAC-V (Health fairs, bike fairs, etc.).
Develop media programs (i.e. billboards, commercials, social media) which will bring awareness to the public and promote injury prevention.
Partner with local government and organizations to identify and improve injury prevention initiatives within the local communities.

TRAC V Medical Oversight – Medical Direction

Mission:
To develop a network of physicians who are committed to the improvement of trauma care and stroke care in the region addressing issues related to Pre-Hospital and Hospital trauma care.

The Medical Oversight Committee governs Trauma Service Area V Medical Oversight and Direction. This committee is comprised of Physicians from across the region, working in various capacities including Pre-Hospital Medical Directors, Emergency Room Medical Directors, and Trauma Surgeons.

Their mission is to foster an arena of understanding whereby the membership can identify, address and resolve-identified concerns within the region. As these concerns arise the membership addresses the Board of Directors or participates within the committees to develop protocols or policies to improve the quality of trauma care provided in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Co-Chairs of this committee consult with Quality Assurance Committee. They also work in conjunction with the Pre-Hospital, Disaster, and Communications Committee in developing the Regional Disaster Plan.

This committee will continue to review and evaluate the RAC EMS Protocols, diversion, bypass, and triage guidelines along with the Pre-Hospital, Disaster, and Communication committee.

The major benefit of this committee is the improved communication between trauma care physicians from across the Valley.

Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for the Medical Oversight Committee include but are not limited to:

Mentorship and networking between the various medical facilities in the Valley
To provide support and encouragement to physicians involved in the care of the injured patient. To develop standardized trauma protocols for across the Valley.
To investigate and possibly implement a regional medical control station for all Valley Pre- Hospital Providers.
To investigate Pre-Hospital providers compliance to the TRAC protocols and as medical directors strongly encourage their compliance.
To identify physician educational needs in the region and develop programs for the physicians involved in trauma care in the region.
To participate in the performance improvement and quality assurance activities of the region and work with PI/AQ committee to develop solutions to identified issues.
To identify the training needs of the Pre-Hospital Providers and Nurses caring for trauma patients and assist in the development of education offerings.
Assist in the revision of any of the TRAC plan components.

Perinatal Committee

Mission:
Our mission of the perinatal TRAC-V is to work collaboratively with hospitals and stakeholders to improve perinatal care in our region by utilizing evidence-based practice standards of care and striving to improve perinatal health awareness and outcomes through education within our community, through implementation of NICU designation.

Pre-Hospital, Disaster and Communications Committee

Mission:
To assist in the development of the Trauma Regional Advisory Plans concerning Bypass, Diversion, and disaster preparedness in conjunction with the Medical Oversight committee and the Board of Directors and to identify concerns in the current communication network within the Rio Grande Valley. To develop a plan to improve the method and ability of the TRAC members to communicate effectively within the region.

Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for the Pre-Hospital, Disaster and Communications Committee includes but are not limited to:

Develop a regional plan for pre-hospital Triage of trauma
Develop a regional plan for diversion and bypass of trauma
To work in conjunction with the medical oversight committee to formalize and approve the regional
To conduct a yearly disaster preparedness project in conjunction with other outside agencies to critique the regions preparation for a
To work in conjunction with other local agencies including the various counties LEPC’s.
To maintain, review and revise the regional Bypass, Diversion and disaster plans in conjunction with the medical oversight
Develop and maintain a current listing of all hospitals and agencies contact numbers including dispatch
To develop and maintain a current listing of dispatching capabilities around the
To investigate and develop solutions to identified communication concerns across the region.

Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement

Mission:
A multi-disciplinary group responsible for monitoring the performance of the regional trauma system as it relates to the quality of patient care through data analysis and formulate plans to provide the citizens of the Rio Grande Valley with the highest quality trauma care possible and to resolve complex issues among any entities/individuals/RAC members that have differences of opinions so issues are resolved at a local level verses being resolved initially at the State level.

Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for the Quality Assurance/Alternative Dispute Resolution Performance Improvement Committee include but are not limited to:

Identifying potential quality assurance issues and develop performance improvement plans and goals.
Develop a reporting mechanism for pre-hospital and hospital providers to non-judgmentally review cases and improve the delivery of trauma care.
Develop a mechanism for investigating reports in a non-judgmental, non-threating manner.

Develop a quality assurance performance improvement system based on system specific data developed by the reginal registry.
To work with the various subcommittees and the Board to develop recommendations and solutions to identified concerns.

South Texas Trauma Coordinators

Mission:
To develop a network of hospital-based health care providers who are committed to the improvement of trauma care in the region.

The South Texas Trauma Coordinators have continued to communicate and meet regularly. We have achieved several milestones during the past year. We have provided a mentorship class for Trauma Coordinators in the Rio Grande Valley to assist the newer Coordinators and their staff in development of performance improvement programs, loop closure, registry issues, software issues and re-designation/designation as Trauma facilities. The more experienced Trauma Coordinators have offered to mentor by spending time on an individual basis with the newer Coordinators by inviting them into our facilities and personally showing them how tracking of patients, PI and loop closure is done. We continually strive to assist them through mentorship.

The STTCF with assistance from and working through the TRAC has been able to offer TNCC and ENPC courses throughout the year. We continue to add new instructors to the list. This group would like to have 4 courses each throughout the year so that all hospitals can maintain up to date TNCC and ENPC nurses.

Responsibilities:
The responsibilities for the South Texas Trauma Coordinators Committee include but are not limited to:

Mentorship and networking between the various medical facilities in the Valley.
To provide support and encouragement to the facilities emergency care providers who are not seeking trauma designation. Including educational opportunities, training and current DSHS information.
Planning and providing educational offerings for health care providers in the valley including the annual Trauma Symposium and ENPC and TNCC courses.
Establishing the regional trauma registry and submitting data to it.

Improvement of and establishment of Trauma Care protocols in the various facilities.
Providing a mechanism of support to one another to further develop the regional trauma system.
To work in conjunction with the Prehospital, Disaster and Communication committee to promote effective communication and relations between hospital and pre-hospital providers.
To work in conjunction with the Local Organ Sharing Alliance to promote education about organ donation.

Annually recommend TETAF representative to the board prior to annual meeting and reports quarterly to the committee.

Stroke Committe

Mission:
To ensure the most efficient, consistent, and appropriate care of each stroke patient in the Rio Grande Valley.

Goal:

Identify and integrate our resources for delivery of stroke care
Establish system coordination relating to access, guidelines and referrals that will ensure uniformity of care for stroke patients
Create system efficiency for patients and programs through quality improvement that will identify patient needs, outcome data and assist with the development of standardized stroke care