Drew: Vote to improve trauma care

Georgia's trauma care is in critical condition. That's why Athens Regional Health Services supports the Yes 2 Save Lives campaign and strongly encourages Georgia voters to pass Amendment 2 on Nov. 2 - so that our patients, our families and our neighbors can continue to access quality trauma care services.

Through a simple car registration fee of just $10 a year, a dedicated funding source will be established to fund trauma care. The money is guaranteed to be set aside for trauma care and can't be raided for any other purpose.

Deaths from trauma injuries are 20 percent higher in Georgia than the national average because access to trauma care is so limited. In fact, we have 16 trauma care centers in Georgia, but we need 30 to serve the entire state.

As one of Northeast Georgia's largest health care providers, our hospital was recently designated a Level 2 Trauma Center - which means that we have a full range of trauma capabilities for our surrounding 17 counties. Unlike an emergency room, a trauma center has nurses and doctors who are trained specifically to treat life-threatening trauma injuries. These highly specialized services cost a lot of money.

Through the additional funding that Amendment 2, if passed, would make available, we can maintain our commitment to our Level 2 status - and continue to improve our capabilities to respond to

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