Our state is well known for its bountiful outdoor activities. Mountain biking, climbing, hiking, trails for all-terrain vehicles, hunting and boating are favorite activities. Unfortunately, these activities can lead to traumatic injuries.  CAMC's Trauma Center is designated as a Level I Center, meaning we are fully staffed with board-certified trauma surgeons, nurses, technologists and other personnel who specialize in doing all they can for a patient in the critical first "golden hour" after an accident occurs. Transport services are provided through HealthNet, or critical care ground transport. Last year, the staff treated over 2,400 people with traumatic injuries, some of who later entered our medical rehabilitation center for physical, occupational, speech or recreational therapy.  The Trauma Center features a dedicated trauma surgical suite, two intensive care units adjacent to the surgical areas and a trauma nursing unit for patients who don't need intensive care. The trauma center staff is supported by skilled neurosurgeons and neuroscience nurses. A specialized neuroscience intensive care unit also is available, should the need arise. We're here to serve, but we'd rather help prevent accidents and injuries. That's why our staff travels to area high schools during the spring to present a program we call "CAMC Trauma Team Talks Tough." During this give-and-take presentation members of the CAMC staff, and occasionally a former patient or two, talk frankly with teens about what can happen when you make bad choices (like drinking and driving or riding all-terrain vehicles without safety gear). For information about CAMC's “Trauma Team Talks Tough,” call (304) 388-7859.  The Trauma Center also offers continuing education credits for physicians in central and southern West Virginia. The West Virginia Star is a bi-annual statewide audit of cases from West Virginia's trauma centers; the annual trauma seminar is designed to describe trauma management techniques and trains first responders in systems for assessing and treating trauma patients.  CAMC’s Trauma Center is located on the campus of General Hospital in downtown Charleston.
Directions Click map for printable directions
Services      Internet Links:  (Internet access required) American College of Surgeons (ACS) American Trauma Society (ATS) The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Food and Drug Administration Health Net Aeromedical Services Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Journal of TRAUMA® Injury, Infection, and Critical Care National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Society of Critical Care Medicine Society of Trauma Nurses West Virginia Emergency Nurses Association
Education Click here for CAMC Life Support Training Center
Risk Watch	Injury prevention program for children in preschool through 8th grade. Designed to help children and families create safer homes and communities.
Proper Bike Helmet Fit	How to check for proper bike helmet fit.
Trauma Nurses Talk Tough	Educational program designed to teach kids how to avoid senseless injuries and deaths. Designed for 9th-12th graders
Troo the TraumaRoo	Traumaroo is the children's safety program of the American Trauma Society that employs the services of the animated character "Troo" to teach important safety habits, with "fun" as a key component.
ATV Safety	The CAMC ATV Safety Program offers a classroom-style presentation.  This class discusses the most important aspects of ATV safety.