Update on Michigan Trauma Coalition (MTC) Events & Programs – Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

March 27, 2020

By Madonna Walters, MS, RN – President, MTC; Henry Ford Allegiance Health
– March 26, 2020 –

This is a follow up to communication you received from the MTC Executive Board, dated 3-16-2020.

We have continued to monitor what the CDC calls a “rapidly evolving situation” with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The MTC Executive Board has been meeting weekly and working to make the best decisions for our members regarding the MTC calendar of events for the next 3 to 5 months, in the face of travel bans, diversion of resources, and extreme uncertainty. After reviewing current governmental recommendations and restrictions, and communicating with end-users, venues, and the vendors who provide specialized courses (ATS, AAAM, Pomphrey, etc) we have come up with the following plan:

  • Registrars’ Meeting – May 7– ​ This will be changed to an online “GoToMeeting (GTM)” event only. The date will stay the same. No in-person meeting.
  • TARP (Trauma Advanced Registrar Prep) Course – May 11-12, 2020 – This will be changed to the online course option from the ATS, and the dates will change to October 2020. Refunds will be provided to those who had already registered for the in-person course and do not want to take the course online
  • MTC General Membership Mtg – May 14, 2020 (originally scheduled to take place at Boyne, during the Michigan Chapter ACS and MCOT meetings) – This will be changed to an online “GoToMeeting (GTM)” event only. The date will stay the same. No in-person meeting. Dr. Kristin Sihler has agreed to postpone her “Rural Trauma” lecture until a later date. We will monitor our registration numbers and if they are low (knowing that many of you have other pressing commitments), we will consider moving this second quarter General Membership meeting to June or July.
  • 9th Annual Michigan Pediatric Trauma Conference – June 3, 2020 – The Pediatric Committee is postponing the event until June 2021. They plan to use the same venue (International Banquet Center in Detroit) and the same agenda. MTC is offering refunds to those who have already registered, unless they want to carry their registration over to 2021.
  • TPM (Trauma Program Manager) Course – July 20-21, 2020 – Postponed until February – March 2021. This will continue to be the in-person course by the ATS.
  • AIS (Abbreviated Injury Scaling) Course – Aug. 27-28, 2020 – Postponed for now. This will continue to be the in-person course by the AAAM. We plan to survey in the fall to assess need, as programs may be concerned about getting their registrars this training. The latter part of 2020 or early 2021 might be the safest bet for rescheduling the course.
  • All events in September and beyond are still scheduled as posted, although all of these are subject to ongoing scrutiny and adjustment depending on the characteristics of the unfolding pandemic.

The MTC Executive Board would like to thank you for your understanding during this challenging time for all of us and appreciate your ongoing commitment to our patients, health organizations, and the coalition.  We are grateful for all that you do, every day.