How many trauma centers in ga

But they are part of the deaths of despair along with suicides and alcohol-related deaths that have drawn media attention recently. And nationally, the American Medical Association warned in Augusta that more than 40 states have reported increases in opioid-related mortality. Gun-related violence has jumped in Atlanta and elsewhere in the country during recent months, clearly having an influence on the trauma workload. Police departments in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia reported a higher number of shootings and homicides compared with the same period last year.

Atlanta saw a particularly dramatic rise in gun-related crime, compounding the unrest in a city that has been a center of protests over police brutality and racial justice, the Wall Street Journal reported in July.

As of July 11, people in Atlanta were shot over a day period, marking a sharp increase from 40 people during the same period in , according to data compiled by the Atlanta Police Department. The violence stems from many factors. The AJC cited pent-up energy and angst from quarantine; people trying to handle disputes themselves rather than call police; and Atlanta officers working less proactively because of what they see as anti-police sentiment on the streets and a lack of support from local politicians.

Wellstar Health System, with trauma hospitals in Atlanta, Marietta and Roswell, has seen an increase in trauma injuries from bicycle accidents and from incidents involving camping or hiking, as people working at home seek new activities, Dr. Bill Mayfield, chief surgical officer for Wellstar, said Friday.

The health system has seen an overall uptick of trauma injuries across its whole hospital network. Elder abuse injuries are also increasing, said Rebecca Gomez, clinical health psychologist for Wellstar Medical Group. The patients show up with overdoses or wounds from cutting or gunshots, she said. That includes financial distress, social unrest, isolation, unmanaged mental health problems, and general uncertainty over the pandemic.

Of the estimated 40, cases of major trauma each year in Georgia, only about 10, are treated in designated trauma centers. For the uninsured and underinsured, hospitals are the first line of care. As a result, their care is costlier, costs are predominantly absorbed by hospitals, and patients have poorer health outcomes. Currently, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers are already lower than the costs to hospitals to provide the care.

Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. Phone: Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center South. Wellstar Cobb Hospital. Wellstar Douglas Hospital. Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. Wellstar North Fulton Hospital.