Trauma, stroke and heart attack are leading causes of death and disability in Missouri. These conditions create a significant burden for those who experience such an event and their loved ones. Quicker definitive treatment for these medical emergencies could help save lives and reduce permanent disability.

Severe injury requires timely definitive care for the best outcomes for survival and recovery. Likewise, stroke and STEMI heart attack victims who receive treatment within specific time frames from the time symptoms begin are more likely to survive and recover more quickly and are less likely to have permanent disabilities, according to state health officials.

The goal of the new TCD emergency medical care system is to provide timely evaluation and definitive treatment to patients to improve their chances for survival and a full recovery.