Created by the American College of Surgeons and its Committee on Trauma, the Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®) course provides physicians with a methodical approach to caring for patients with multiple injuries.
The program teaches a five-step process for patient care. Participants learn specific techniques that the ACS has chosen for their versatility and relevance in a variety of care settings. All techniques taught are specific, reproducible in the field, and measurable for effectiveness.
Participants learn how to efficiently and accurately evaluate a patient's condition, as well as how to prioritize any necessary stabilization and resuscitation procedures. The program also teaches how to assess whether their treatment center can meet a patient's needs, as well as how to arrange for safe transfer to another hospital if needed.
Skills are relevant to and appropriate for physicians and surgeons who treat trauma frequently as well as those who are less experienced in this level of care.