The Medical Center, Navicent Health Leads State Efforts to Stop the Bleed
In recognition of Georgia's Trauma Awareness Day, Georgia's General Assembly invited trauma physicians and clinicians to the state capitol on Tuesday, February 7. Representatives of The Medical Center, Navicent Health (MCNH) - the state's only nationally-verified Level 1 trauma center - were pleased to join trauma professionals from around the state to launch Georgia's "Stop the Bleed" Campaign.
Stop the Bleed is a national initiative of the American College of Surgeons and Hartford Consensus. The program provides bystanders of emergency situations with the expertise to stop life-threatening bleeding until first responders arrive. Led by Dennis W. Ashley, MD, Director of Trauma Services and Critical Care for MCNH, trauma professionals from across the state presented their plan to distribute training and equipment to law enforcement, school systems and lay citizens.
"Our goal is to provide life-saving education and equip our school classrooms, law enforcement vehicles and public venues including airports, stadiums and churches with bleeding control kits. These kits will accompany education and training to fully equip individuals with the necessary skills to save a life," said Dr. Ashley.
On Tuesday, the Georgia Trauma Commission requested funding to support the Stop the Bleed Campaign in Georgia's public school system by providing each public school in the state with a bleeding control kit. Trauma professionals from Atrium Health Navicent and other Georgia providers conducted Stop the Bleed training sessions throughout the day, allowing legislators a firsthand look at the training program.
Uncontrolled bleeding injuries can result from natural and manmade disasters and accidents. Severe bleeding may claim a life within minutes, potentially before trained responders arrive on scene. Providing bystanders with knowledge of the steps to take to stop uncontrolled bleeding, and providing the public access to bleeding control kits, can save lives.
"Research has shown that bystanders with little or no medical training can heroically save a life if equipped with the right knowledge. This is seen in incidents where bystanders use CPR training or automatic defibrillators until help arrives. We firmly believe this program has the ability to help people save lives in the event of an emergency situation. We were privileged to present this program to our state legislators and look forward to their continued support of the Georgia Trauma Commission and its endeavors," said Dr. Ashley.
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent was incorporated on November 17, 1994, as a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to coordinate the Medical Center, Navicent Health and other affiliated entities in their mission of providing a comprehensive continuum of high quality, reasonably priced healthcare services to the region. Atrium Health Navicent has 830 beds for medical, surgical, rehabilitation and hospice purposes. The health system includes The Medical Center, Navicent Health, a nationally recognized tertiary teaching hospital; Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital, the region's only dedicated pediatric hospital; Medical Center of Peach County, Atrium Health Navicent, a rural critical access hospital; Rehabilitation Hospital, Atrium Health Navicent, the region's oldest and most experienced rehabilitation provider; Pine Pointe, Atrium Health Navicent, which provides palliative and hospice care in homes and in its facility; Carlyle Place, Atrium Health Navicent, the area's first continuing care retirement community; Navicent Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Atrium Health Navicent; as well as diagnostic and home care services. For more information, please visit www.navicenthealth.org.