$3M Earmarked For R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center By Howard County Leaders

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — County leaders plan to invest $3 million in the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in downtown Baltimore. The investment will assist Shock Trauma in expanding its community outreach efforts and enhancing post-discharge support, Howard County officials noted.

"When I first took office in December 2018, I received a call no one wants to receive – a county government employee had been injured on the job, a tree had fallen on him. However, thanks to Shock Trauma’s unbelievable medical team, he is still here with us today. With Shock Trauma receiving nearly 400 Howard County residents annually, we are incredibly fortunate to have this premiere trauma center right in our backyard. Investing in this local healthcare institution will not only help fortify Shock Trauma's mission to establish world-class standards in prevention and management of critical injury and illness, but also help ensure our residents have access to top-notch healthcare when they most need it," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during a news conference.

Shock Trauma will use Howard County's financial backing to expand community outreach efforts, which includes broadening injury prevention education with a focus on safe driving and fall prevention, enhancing violence intervention programs, an expansion of Stop the Bleed training, and providing trauma survivor support services.

"I want to thank County Executive Ball and the citizens of Howard County for this generous and important gift that will allow us to continue doing the work we believe in. As a head and neck cancer surgeon, I have trained and practiced in many states across the nation, and I’ve never seen any trauma system like the one we have here in Maryland. The level of coordination, the partnerships across the state and the readiness to deliver the highest level of care, 24-7, is truly unique. As Dr. Scalea has said, ‘Shock Trauma is a gift from the people of Maryland to the people of Maryland,'" said UMMC CEO and President Bert W. O'Malley, MD.