Patna: Critically injured patients at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) could soon receive coordinated trauma care within 15 minutes of arrival, with the hospital preparing a proposal to establish a Level-1 trauma centre.
The proposal is being developed by the PMCH Department of Orthopaedics and aims to bring multiple specialist services under a single integrated trauma-care system. The proposed facility would coordinate neurosurgery, orthopaedics, general surgery, anaesthesia, radiology and plastic surgery to speed up the assessment and treatment of seriously injured patients.
Integrated Trauma Care System Proposed at PMCH
The planned Level-1 trauma centre would provide coordinated access to operation theatres, intensive care, diagnostic services and blood-bank facilities.
The objective is to minimise delays that can occur when critically injured patients require consultations or interventions from multiple departments.
By bringing specialist teams and emergency resources together, the proposed centre could allow doctors to assess and manage multiple injuries more efficiently.
PMCH Handles 15–20 Serious Trauma Cases Daily
PMCH reportedly treats around 15 to 20 seriously injured trauma patients every day.
At present, patients are assessed through the hospital’s triage system according to the severity of their injuries. However, patients with multiple traumatic injuries may require simultaneous intervention from specialists across several departments.
The proposed Level-1 trauma centre is expected to focus particularly on patients with severe head injuries, orthopaedic trauma and multiple injuries.
The integrated model could also help reduce referrals when the required specialist expertise is already available at PMCH.
24-Hour Specialist Response Planned
Dr Rakesh Chaudhary, Head of the PMCH Orthopaedics Department, said the proposal is being prepared with the objective of developing the facility according to Level-1 trauma centre standards.
PMCH already has super-speciality departments, specialist doctors, operation theatres, an ICU, blood-bank and diagnostic facilities. The proposal seeks to integrate these existing resources into a coordinated trauma-care system.
A 24-hour specialist team is also planned to respond to trauma emergencies and facilitate rapid assessment and treatment.
Bihar Faces Challenges in Trauma-Care Infrastructure
Bihar had planned 11 new trauma centres along national highways in 2023. PMCH and nine other medical college hospitals had earlier been notified as Level-2 trauma centres.
However, the availability of trained personnel and specialised equipment continues to pose challenges.
Former PMCH Superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad has highlighted shortages of specialist doctors and trained nursing staff as key issues affecting trauma-care preparedness.
15-Minute Target Depends on Round-the-Clock Resources
For PMCH to achieve the proposed 15-minute treatment target, infrastructure alone may not be sufficient.
The effectiveness of the planned Level-1 trauma centre will depend on the round-the-clock availability of specialists, trained nursing and support staff, emergency equipment and adequate blood supplies.
If implemented as planned, an integrated trauma-care system could help streamline emergency treatment and improve coordination among multiple departments for critically injured patients.
Important Highlights
- PMCH is preparing a proposal to establish a Level-1 trauma centre.
- The proposed facility aims to provide coordinated trauma care within 15 minutes of a critically injured patient’s arrival.
- Neurosurgery, orthopaedics, general surgery, anaesthesia, radiology and plastic surgery would be integrated into the trauma-care system.
- PMCH reportedly handles around 15–20 seriously injured trauma patients every day.
- A 24-hour specialist response team is planned for trauma emergencies.
- Achieving the proposed treatment target will depend on adequate specialists, trained staff, equipment and blood supplies.