History of AZTrACC
November 14, 2003
The State Trauma and Advisory Board (STAB) meet for a retreat to discuss the upcoming enabling legislation that will support the development of a Statewide Emergency Trauma System. Four Workgroups are created to assist this process, one of which is the Designation/Verification of Trauma Center Workgroup and is chaired by Dr. John Porter, Medical Director of Trauma at the University of Arizona. They are tasked with creating the rules for how trauma centers in the State of Arizona are designated.
August 25, 2004
Arizona Revised Statute 36-2225 (introduced as HB2197) becomes law and instructs the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to “develop and administer a statewide emergency medical services and trauma system” as well as “to implement the Arizona emergency medical services and trauma system plan”. This is to include “A statewide network of trauma centers that provide trauma care and to which trauma patients can be transported”. This also includes “A trauma center designation and de-designation process for health care institutions that provide trauma care”. ADHS is required to adopt “rules” allowing for designation.
November 4, 2004
A draft of the Trauma Center designation rules developed by the Designation/Verification of Trauma Center Workgroup is presented to STAB. In the rules it is noted that Trauma Centers seeking Level 1 designation will be expected to participate in “collaborative” research, education and outreach activities. ADHS and STAB agree to create an internal document to clarify the meaning of “collaborative”. Later (May 5, 2005) it is agreed that this should be a substantive policy rather than a rule.
April 11, 2005
SB1134, which provides the statutory authority for ADHS to use a national verification organization like the American College of Surgeon (ACS) for reviewing trauma centers, becomes effective.
October 6, 2005
The Governors Regulatory Review Council (GRRC) unanimously approves the Trauma Center Designation rules. These rules allow for a “grace period” for the seven established Level 1 Trauma Centers in the State of Arizona to remain as designated Level 1 Trauma Centers. The grace period ends on January 1, 2009. Prior to that time these Trauma Centers must undergo an ACS site visit and re-apply for their continuing status. The rules call for two pathways to designation. One is through ACS verification and the other is through the accepted state rules. The main difference between the two involves the requirements for research, education and outreach. The state rules allow the Trauma Center applying for a Level 1 designation to meet these requirements through “collaborative” activities for research, education and outreach between trauma centers in the State of Arizona.
August 9, 2006
A group of trauma surgeons from the Phoenix metropolitan area led by Dr. John Ferrara (state Chair for the Arizona Chapter of the ACS, Committee on Trauma) meet at the Capital Grill to discuss how to develop collaborative research, education and outreach activities at the Trauma Centers in the State of Arizona. The concept of an Arizona Trauma Consortium is proposed.
August 29, 2006
The Arizona Trauma Consortium meets and decides to take ownership of the Statewide Trauma Rounds as one of its collaborative educational activities. In addition the first collaborative trauma research project is proposed by Dr. Mary Lumpkin, a chief surgical resident at Maricopa Medical Center. It is a study investigating the use of methamphetamine among trauma patients seen at trauma centers in the State of Arizona. The group agrees to proceed with the study and request Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval at the participating trauma centers as the first collaborative, multi-institutional study for this group. A sub-committee is also formed to begin to draw up bylaws for the consortium.
December 13, 2006
Dr. Ferrara presents the mission/values/vision statement which is approved by the prospective members of the Arizona Trauma Consortium. It is also decided at this meeting to proceed with developing the Arizona Trauma Consortium into a nonprofit organization and register it as such in the State of Arizona. It is also decided that the consortium will develop and maintain a website to serve as a platform for coordinating and delivering consortium news and education as part of its mission.
January 17, 2007
The website design is approved. The Arizona Trauma Consortium name is now The Arizona Trauma and Acute Care Consortium also known as “AZTrACC”. This name change is made to reflect the inclusion of the concept of Acute Care Surgery into the mission of the consortium.
February 7, 2007
The first “un-official” meeting of the Arizona Trauma & Acute Care Consortium (AZTrACC) is held and Dr. Kevin Foster delivers the first AZTrACC Grand Rounds.
February 28, 2007
The Arizona Trauma and Acute Care Consortium are incorporated in the State of Arizona and approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission as a nonprofit organization.
April 30, 2007
The Arizona Trauma and Acute Care Consortium receive its “Certificate of Good Standing” from the Office of the Corporation Commission in the State of Arizona.
May 1, 2007
AZTrACC has it first “official” meeting. The Officers of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors are named. The Board unanimously approves the bylaws and supports resolutions to commit to applying for tax-exempt status with the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.
November 11, 2014
During AZTrACC’s Board of Directors meeting at the 6th annual Southwest Trauma & Acute Care Symposium, the Board votes to streamline the name of the organization from Arizona Trauma & Acute Care Consortium to Arizona Trauma Association. The Board unanimously approves the name change and in June, 2015, they begin using Arizona Trauma Association (AzTA) to represent the organization.
