Comments on: How Much is A Life Worth?

By: drjay

drjay — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:41:55 +0000

LEVEL 1

Medical Center of Central Ga. *
Macon
Bibb
478-633-1584

Memorial Health Univ. Medical Center *
Savannah
Chatham
912-350-8861

Medical College of Georgia *
Augusta
Richmond
706-721-3153

Grady Memorial Hospital *
Atlanta
Fulton
404-616-6200

LEVEL 2

Floyd Medical Center
Rome
Floyd
706-802-2941

North Fulton Medical Center
Roswell
Fulton
770-751-2559

Medical Center-Columbus
Columbus
Muscogee
706-571-1081

Atlanta Medical Center
Atlanta
Fulton
404-265-6577

Hamilton Medical Center
Dalton
Whitfield
706-272-6150

Gwinnett Medical Center
Lawrenceville
Gwinnett
678-442-4321

John D. Archbold
Thomasville
Thomas
229-228-2834

LEVEL 3

Dekalb Medical Center
Decatur
Dekalb
404-501-5651

LEVEL 4

Morgan Memorial
Madison
Morgan
706-342-1667

Walton Regional Medical Center
Monroe
Walton
770-267-1781

By: drjay

drjay — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:32:07 +0000

there are 14 “trauma centers” in ga–ranging from level 1 to level 4–i used to be much more well versed in this as i was once a trauma nurse at mcg–the 4 level 1’s are grady, mcg, mccg (in macon) and memorial (savannah)–level one means all specialties (ortho, neuro, plastics, cardio, ophthamology, etc)in house 24 hours a day. level 2- i think you have to have all specialties on call–and at least certain ones in house 24/7, down to a level 4, that is the ability to triage and stabilize and not much else–as i recall–anyone feel free to correct me on that.

there was a list of all the centers on the internets somewhere that we had in the er at mcg–i’ll see if i can find it…the list is shrinking btw…19 then 15 now 14…

By: griftdrift

griftdrift — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:54:54 +0000

Archibald is a trauma center? I didn’t know that. I thought the closest was Macon. Does anyone have a definitive list?

By: bowersville

bowersville — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 02:47:33 +0000

Contrary to the above, there is a trauma center in Thomasville which is close to Valdosta. The problem with Thomasville is there is no air ambulance service.

Macon and Columbus have trauma centers, I’m not familiar with their air ambulance capability.

As I remember, much of southwest Georgia depends on the air ambulance services from the Jacksonville,Fl trauma center.

Here in NE Ga. the air ambulance services are out of MCG Augusta, Metro Atlanta and Greeneville SC.

I don’t want to get whiny, but it’s time to think outside the box. The Georgia Care Network Commission was created and was a good start, but let’s look beyond raising our taxes or raising fine money.

Among other duties, the Georgia Trauma Commission has been charged with identifying Federal monies and grants. There are billions available through Federal Homeland Security grants.

So how would our trauma centers qualify? Dual roles. A center that provides field medical response for anthrax, dirty bombs, etc. with first responders, medications, vaccines etc. Plus, follow up critical trauma care.

This would require a modern air ambulance response and increased trauma care center capabilities. (ie, more Federal money)

At last count, the Commanding General of the Ga. National Guard was the Ga. Homeland Security director. The Army is well versed in operating these type of response and trauma centers, there is no need in re-eventing the wheel, it is time we consider a different avenue to accomplish our goals in trauma care.

By: shelbinator

shelbinator — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:03:49 +0000

$35K per life is a pretty good bargain. When I worked in aviation accidents, I got used to a rule of thumb of about $1M per fatality in a bad accident, when you think about investigations, liability, settlements, etc. Knock it down to half that, say, for your average automobile accident, since you don’t have the whole “why did they fall out of the sky” aspect, and you’re still loooking at a return on investment of over 1000% — saving $350M with an investment of $25M.

Glad to see some of you are willing to make that investment, considering how whiny some got over traffic light cameras paying for trauma centers.

By: Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:22:30 +0000

I concur with Erick. It’s a tax increase–let’s call it for what it is. But it’s one that is necessary and excusable. Let’s protect the citizens of Georgia. I’m glad the Senate pushed forward this bill.

If we still need funding, gut the Fishing bill. Heck, gut it anyway. Stinkin’ pork.

By: Creative Loafing Atlanta » Fresh Loaf » Blog Archive » Atlanta blogs today: Boortz berates Virginia Tech shooting victims

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:21:12 +0000

[...] – Seth Millican at Peach Pundit on Georgia’s relative lack of trauma hospitals. Millican states that Georgia’s death rate from trauma exceeds the national average by 20 percent. Tags: atlanta blogs, crime, gun control, Ron Pettaway, Roy Pettaway, Virginia Tech shooting [...]

By: Erick

Erick — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:00:57 +0000

Many have been quick to cry foul, sneak, or better yet, “tax increase!” Those are the individuals who haven’t taken the time to fully examine this issue.

Actually, some of us are willing to call it a tax increase, because it is, while others want to pretend that it is not — it’s not the tax increase that’s the biggest problem. The biggest problem is the failure of some to admit that it is a new tax.

Personally, I’m willing to let it slide because I think we need to beef up our trauma and this seems to be the most reasonable compromise. But it is still a tax increase.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:35:18 +0000

When Travis Starr had his accident in Athens, he was transported to Augusta. I’m not sure if that was the choice of his parents, since he was from Augusta, or if MCG was the best place for his injuries, or both.

By: drjay

drjay — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:24:20 +0000

unless something has changed, i believe the gwinnett med center in lawrenceville is the closest trauma center to athens–and i do not know if they are level one or not–or if either of the hospitals in athens are perhaps lower level centers or not…

By: MidGaDawg

MidGaDawg — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 07:26:20 +0000

Freeloader is dead on. And, from the sound of the first few paragraphs, which would have been quite convincing without the ridiculous title, I expected a bigger number than 700 at the end. But I agree, at least every major city/region should have one — is the closest one to Athens in Atlanta? That is a problem worth fixing (and not just because I live there

Now, to perhaps crassly answer the question posed … $25,000,000/700 = $35,714.29

By: freeloader

freeloader — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 03:48:46 +0000

“begs us to ask the question: what is one life worth?”

An utterly preposterous and demagogued question. From unlimited amount of funds for cancer or AIDS research to endless supplies of food and shelter; we can sit around all day and come up with millions of examples of how the government could have saved another life if we just didn’t place a value on it.

It’s a great bleeding heart statement, but not realistic. Obviously government has to make priorities on taxpayer dollars and unfortunately we can’t save every single life with a blank check – it would bankrupt us all.

I’m sure the trauma centers are important to you and perhaps they are a good idea and should be a priority, but to demagogue it by insinuating government cannot place a value on any human life is ridiculous.