A bill to upgrade the nation's trauma centers became law on May 4th, when President George W. Bush signed into law the Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-23).

The Trauma Care Systems Act reauthorizes funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Trauma-EMS Program through fiscal year 2012 to all 50 states.

This legislation is intended to help more local communities establish statewide and regional trauma systems. The bill will also create a new competitive grant program for states that have already begun the process of establishing a trauma care system using national standards.

It authorizes $12 million for fiscal year 2008, $10 million for fiscal year 2009, and $8 million for fiscal years 2010-2012, according to a press release from legislation author Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). Legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives was authored by Representative Gene Green (D-TX).

"This law will help establish critical care networks nationwide so that more paramedics and first responders can get trauma care patients to the right doctor at the right time," Reed said in a prepared statement.

While great strides have been made in the field of trauma care, only about half the states have developed trauma care systems, according to Reed, and it is estimated that about 20,000 to 25,000 deaths from unintentional injury could be preventable each year. This new law will also help improve collection and analysis of trauma data by creating a Clearinghouse on Trauma Care and Emergency Medical Services.