As news develops after Sunday night's mass shooting in Las Vegas, how do Vermont hospitals prepare for the possibility of responding to large numbers of injured patients needing care?
In Las Vegas, patients streamed into University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, that state's only level one trauma center. Across northern New England, there are three level one trauma centers, including UVM Medical Center in Burlington, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Dr. Ajai Malhotra is the Trauma Medical Director and Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery at UVM Medical Center. He says level one trauma centers test their plan to respond to a major emergency twice a year.
Dr. Malhotra says most hospitals in the region have plans in place to respond to large injury or casualty events. However, challenges remain especially in more rural or isolated areas.
Dr. Ajai Malhotra spoke with VPR's Henry Epp. Listen to their conversation above.
