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Since Charleston Area Medical Center lost Trauma I status in August, at least twenty
trauma patients from southern West Virginia had to bypass Charleston and go to WVU
Hospital, adding 55-minutes to the HealthNet chopper flight.
Others have been sent to hospitals in Huntington and Lexington, Kentucky.
The additional time walks over the "golden hour" for trauma care, increasing the risk
of death.
In at least one case, a Fayette County man suffering from multiple-trauma in a car
accident, was first sent to CAMC and then died on WVU's operating table, It would be
difficult to know if he would have survived had he been treated in Charleston, but the
"golden hour" was compromised.
West Virginia University Hospital, unlike most hospitals in the state, claim they need
more beds, and currently have a $74 million application for 72 more units.
Gov. Bob Wise is meeting with CAMC officials to try and restore the hospital's trauma
status, and news reports say a solution might be in the making within two weeks.
Numerous cases of transfers from the Kanawha County area have occurred at CAMC,
but rural counties throughout southern and central West Virginia, may be more
seriously impacted because of the time frames.
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