Bipartisan legislation introduced on Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (IL) would assign Department of Defense (DOD) trauma surgeons to civilian trauma centers and support additional training for military surgeons.
The Mission Zero Act, which Burgess introduced with U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL), Gene Green (D-TX) and Richard Hudson (R-NC), would address gaps in trauma care identified in a recent review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
“Our military has made incredible strides in delivering trauma care, saving countless lives that would have otherwise been lost,” Burgess, a medical doctor, said. “This expertise should be brought home to our civilian trauma centers and systems, American lives shouldn’t depend on where one is injured. The Mission Zero Act would establish a grant program to foster partnership between our military and civilian trauma providers to benefit all Americans. I am proud to be part of this important bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen our nation’s trauma care and save more lives on and off the battlefield.”
U.S. trauma care currently operates as a patchwork of regional systems and incomplete data registries. It is believed that integrated, permanent joint civilian and military trauma system training platforms can help reduce mortality and disability resulting from traumatic injuries.
The bill would create two grant programs – the Military Trauma Team Placement Program and the Military Trauma Care Provider Placement Program – totaling $40 million.
The Military Trauma Team Placement Program would enable the Department of Health and Human Services to award up to 20 grants to support trauma centers providing full-time trauma care. The Military Trauma Care Provider Placement Program, meanwhile, would award grants to trauma centers to train and incorporate military trauma care providers into daily operations.
Kirk was joined by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in introducing companion legislation in the Senate.
“This bill is common sense,” Kirk said. “By keeping our military personnel active and in training, we ensure military readiness while helping areas throughout the state that need it most, whether it is assisting Chicago area trauma centers during high crime peaks, or in rural areas where access to trauma response is limited. Partnerships between our civilian and military health networks should be generated to improve our trauma response network to improve health outcomes.”
Cornyn said that unprecedented challenges to military doctors in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to impressive trauma care developments that can and should benefit all Americans who might face such injuries.
“I’m thankful for the work of Sen. Kirk to make sure our military doctors have a place to continue their important work, keep their skills in trauma care finely honed, and lend their expertise to civilian hospitals at home,” Cornyn said.