Hospital Trauma Assessment

The Standards and Indicators for Model Level I and II Trauma Center Injury and Violence Prevention Programs is the first to outline the five, consensus-based core components of a model injury and violence prevention (IVP) within Level I and II trauma centers. Each core component is accompanied by a set of voluntary standards and indicators to guide the design and implementation of a model IVP program. The guidance offers programs at all levels ideas on how their programs could be expanded or strengthened, while also providing concrete, consensus-based descriptions of what constitutes a model program — one more likely to deliver the shared goals of reducing the burden and costs of injury and violence in communities across the United States. The Safe States Alliance, a member of the Trauma Prevention Coalition received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to conduct activities in support of strengthening trauma center injury and violence prevention (IVP) programs with a goal of improving alignment and collaboration with public health efforts. The standards and indicators are organized according to five core components that are essential for program success: leadershipresourcesdataeffective interventions; and partnerships. Each core component is accompanied by:
  • A brief rationale for its inclusion
  • A statement of the model standard
  • Indicators that would suggest the model standard is being met.
To acknowledge the considerable variation in size and scope among Level I and Level II trauma center IVP programs, indicators are divided into two main categories: those that would apply mainly to newer or smaller, more basic programs (Core), and those that would apply to mature or larger, more established programs (Enhanced). It is assumed that all programs have opportunities for improvement. For some, these opportunities may be concentrated in one or two components; for others, they may fall across all components. The standards, indicators, and methods of documentation are not inclusive but are meant to help the Hospital IVP program review its current efforts and identify potential areas for strengthening the program and future growth. Likewise, all standards may not be appropriate or applicable to all programs.
Instructions on using assessment tool:
  1. Read the indicators below and identify your program’s performance relative to the standard in question.
  2. Rate the indicator based on the descriptions listed:
        1=No activity occuring
        2=Some activity occuring
        3=Consistent activity occuring
  3. At the end of the assessment, review the score summary provided. Higher scores indicate exceeding what is recommended for each standard based on its indicators, while lower scores indicate need for improvement meeting the standard.

NOTE: This tool is designed to provide a snapshot of the program and provide data to determine ways a Trauma Center can grow its program.