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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Patricia Winning, Business Development, Children's Medical Center Dallas, 1935 Motor Street, Dallas, TX 75235 and Sister Teresa George, DC, Administration, Children's Hospital of Austin, 1400 North IH-35, Austin, TN 78701, 5123248068, tlgeorge@seton.org.

A proposal to pursue pediatric trauma center designation is viewed by hospital administration as any other capital-intensive project, and evaluated as such. The hospital administration of CMC considered the following: whether the project was within the hospital mission, the amount of investment capital necessary, financial implications of program maintenance, expectation of return on the investment, impact on other programs within the hospital, and how designation might bring about opportunities to advance our market position. This evaluative process was a collaborative effort by the administration, financial officer, medical staff leadership, and the development and marketing staff, resulting in development of a financial pro-forma that demonstrates the financial viability of a well-planned trauma program. The rationale and template for this pro-forma will be discussed with special consideration for the unique opportunities that exist for pediatric trauma centers to obtain funding.

A return on the initial investment was realized within the first year of designation and the program continues to demonstrate fiscal success and a positive contribution margin. Additionally, the CMC trauma program has helped the facility gain a competitive advantage in the market, win grants, contracts and philanthropic donations, gain an expert edge in the news media, enhance our involvement in the state trauma system, and improve physician and nurse recruiting. These assets, although difficult to calculate immediately, are invaluable to the hospital's future financial position.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain how hospital adminstration views the various aspects of a proposal to pursue pediatric trauma center designation.
• Utilize a financial pro-forma to estimate the cost and return of a pediatric trauma center.
• Articulate at least three ways pediatric trauma center designation can benefit a pediatric hospital's financial standing.

Keywords: EMS/Trauma, Cost Issues

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No