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ICU is also larger and equipped with the latest technology. The inpatient trauma unit now consists of all-private rooms. The trauma service itself has expanded. Two board-certified UT Medicine trauma- critical care team members are in-house at all times, drawn from a team that includes 144 combined years of experience. All providers are double-boarded in surgery and critical care. They work closely with a dedicated trauma nursing staff and other members of the trauma team. "We have a fully functional multidis- ciplinary treatment team that has all of the specialists required in the delivery of trauma care," Dr. Myers says. "In cases where a non-trauma problem is discovered during evaluation for trauma, we also have every specialist available for consultation and management." The Youngest Patients As the number of injuries to children has grown, University Hospital's trauma program has worked to raise the standard of care for them. In 2012, University Hospital became the first facility in South Texas to be designated a pediatric trauma center by the state and verified by the American College of Surgeons. It remains the highest designated pediatric trauma center at Level 2, and the only ACS-verified pediatric trauma center in the region. The plan is to seek Level 1 pediatric status. University Hospital also has the only pediatric burn program in South Texas. San Antonio Military Medical Center, the only other Level 1 trauma center in the region, does not treat seriously injured children. "Car crashes remain the leading cause of injury and death in the age group of 1–44 across the United States," says Lillian Liao, MD, Pediatric Trauma and Burn Program Director at University Hospital and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the UT Health Science Center. "As children in this age group are passengers and their parents drivers, our trauma program is developed around caring for the entire family. The last thing we want to do is separate a family during their treat- ment process." For Dr. Liao, who also holds a master's degree in public health, injury prevention is a major priority. That's also true of the entire trauma faculty. University Health System's Injury Prevention Department has provided hundreds of car seats to parents in the community, and instructed them on how to properly install them. Children admitted through the Emergency Center after a car crash go home in an appropriate car or booster seat. Injury prevention staff personnel, along with members of the trauma team, visit schools and community events throughout the year, educating people about responsible driving, the dangers of leaving children in hot cars, and many other safety issues. Last year, they began offering baseline concussion screening of young athletes, which allows for a faster and more accurate diagnosis after a sports-related head injury. For the past two years, the trauma team has compiled its injury statistics and released an annual Community Trauma Report, highlighting major injuries and trends in the region and providing recommendations on how to prevent them. Areas of concern have included scalding-hot ramen noodles, dog attacks, falls from ladders and distracted driving. High school students sign a pledge not to text and drive as part of University Health System's Drive Now. Txt L8R injury prevention program. Lillian Liao, MD, center, treats a young trauma patient. M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS San Antonio | 7