This course explores the real-world challenges and multidisciplinary coordination required in the management of complex polytrauma cases in remote environments, using a severe bear attack case study as its foundation. Participants will analyze pre-hospital interventions, trauma team collaboration, and advanced surgical techniques, including airway management and facial reconstruction. Emphasis is placed on interagency cooperation among search and rescue, air medical services, and tertiary care hospitals. Learners will gain insights into logistical, medical, and ethical considerations in trauma care, particularly in outdoor and rural settings.

Target Audience: The Trauma healthcare team and other clinical departments

Learning Objectives:

•Review the importance of coordinated care between search and rescue teams, air medical services, and multiple trauma hospitals in outdoor polytrauma cases.

Faculty Presenters: Katherine Keefe

Faculty Bios: Dr. Katherine Keefe earned her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery residency at the University of Utah. She is currently completing a fellowship in Microvascular Reconstruction at the University of California Davis. Dr. Keefe's clinical interests are focused on advanced reconstructive techniques to restore function and aesthetics in patients with head and neck cancer or traumatic injuries. She is committed to improving patient outcomes through innovative surgical interventions and collaborative care. 

LifeFlight Network Report. (2023, September 8). Confidential patient record. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Hospital. Retrieved from Epic.

University of Utah Hospital. (2023, September 9). Confidential patient record. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Hospital. Retrieved from Epic.

Bozeman Hospital Deaconess Report. (2023, September 8). Confidential patient record. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Hospital. Retrieved from Epic.