Access, delivery and outcomes: the summit on the advancement of Focused Equity Research in Trauma (SAFER-Trauma)

Abstract

On August 2-3, 2023, the Summit on the Advancement of Focused Equity Research in Trauma (SAFER-Trauma) was convened in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Thought leaders comprised of over 50 in-person and over 80 virtual attendees, including trauma surgeons, nurses, trauma program managers, researchers, and survivors convened at the American College of Surgeons headquarters in Chicago to take stock of existing disparities in injury care and research and consider innovative solutions to address them. To achieve these goals, the first day of the conference focused on the Current State of Trauma Research and Disparities, and the second day focused on A Unified Response to Address Disparities in Trauma Research. Video recordings of all presentations are freely available on the conference website (https://www.nattrauma.org/safer-trauma-new/). SAFER-Trauma was designed by the Coalition for National Trauma Research's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, chaired by Vanessa Ho, MD, PhD, MPH, FACS, and was made possible by a conference grant funded through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (1-R13-HS029444). This article, along with the entire series of articles from the conference, constitutes the conference proceedings which include major topic areas, outline the current literature, and provide a roadmap to drive progress toward equity in trauma research.

Keywords: Healthcare disparities; Research; health policy; vulnerable populations.

Figure 1

Summit aims and related agenda.

Figure 2

SAFER-Trauma visual abstract.