Our Health Policy Matters

The Boston marathon bombing is a horrifying, ongoing tragedy this week. Three people died when the bombs exploded, and scores of others were maimed or otherwise injured. But there was one bright spot for the wounded and their families.  According to the American Trauma Society , “it now appears that every one of the wounded alive when rescuers reached them will survive.” The reason for this is that they were all fortunate to have almost immediate access to some of the finest, most extensive trauma services in the nation.  According to an interview with the chief of medicine of one of the area hospitals, there were four Level I trauma centers within a mile or so of the marathon finish line – Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s, Mass General, and Tufts Medical Center.  They were already treating victims within thirty minutes of the blast. There are five levels of trauma centers in the United States and there are slight differences in how these a...

The Boston marathon bombing is a horrifying, ongoing tragedy this week. Three people died when the bombs exploded, and scores of others were maimed or otherwise injured. But there was one bright spot for the wounded and their families.  According to the American Trauma Society , “it now appears that every one of the wounded alive when rescuers reached them will survive.” The reason for this is that they were all fortunate to have almost immediate access to some of the finest, most extensive trauma services in the nation.  According to an interview with the chief of medicine of one of the area hospitals, there were four Level I trauma centers within a mile or so of the marathon finish line – Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s, Mass General, and Tufts Medical Center.  They were already treating victims within thirty minutes of the blast. There are five levels of trauma centers in the United States and there are slight differences in how these a...