Israeli trauma system: On constant alert

Abstract

A trauma system is a chain of activities to provide quality response to the injured from the site of injury to the appropriate hospital and rehabilitation. Israel has a unique trauma system developed from the experience gained in peace and in war. It is characterized by a central national organization responsible for management, coordination, and ongoing quality control. Because of the unique situation, the Israeli Defense Forces has a significant role in the system. In order to develop an effective trauma system, it is important to devote sufficient resources in education, training, motivation, team-work, and creation of public volunteers for capacity building. An effective trauma system manages mass casualty incidence (MCI) better. System quickly reorganized in order to accommodate the sudden needs of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), while being able to maintain the routine surgical and medical requirements of the community. The aim of this article is to present the main components of the Israeli trauma model.