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ABERDEEN, S.D. -- About 80 lives each year could be saved now that South Dakota has established a statewide trauma network, Gov. Mike Rounds said Friday in Aberdeen.
Rounds spoke at the South Dakota Newspaper Convention annual conference during the lunch hour at the Ramkota Convention Center. He said the trauma network was one of the topics discussed during this year's legislative session that didn't get a lot of coverage.
The network would help first responders make sure they get accident victims to the right type of care facilities to deal with specific injuries, Rounds said. That would improve service and eliminate the need for transfers, he said.
Rounds said that first responders and care providers supported the creation of the trauma network.
South Dakota's Department of Health will develop and implement the trauma network with input from the state Department of Public Safety. It will involve compiling a statewide trauma registry that includes all hospitals and emergency medical services in the state.
The rules of the trauma network will govern:
Designation of the levels of trauma hospitals and the resources each hospital is required to have concerning personnel, equipment and data collection.
Prehospital emergency medical services, triage and treatment protocols for trauma patients.
Requirements for the collection and release of trauma registry data.
The governor also spoke briefly on a number of other topics, including:
If next year's Legislature doesn't provide money to increase the number of laptop computers available to high school students, Rounds said he would try to get one-time money from the private sector. The governor would like about $3 million to provide laptops to about 50 more school districts.
The Legislature approved another $400,000 to increase the 24/7 Program that gives people charged with some nonviolent crimes the opportunity to stay out of jail if they agree to check in at the local sheriff's office daily or wear bracelets that detect alcohol use.
Lawmakers also approved an extra $3 million for the state's technical schools. The first million is for buildings, the other $2 million to help the schools with their missions. The four tech schools will receive about $19 million.
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