R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center is a free-standing trauma hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and is part of the University of Maryland Medical Center. It was the first facility in the world to treat shock. Shock Trauma was founded by R Adams Cowley, who is considered the father of trauma medicine.Early yearsWhile serving in the United States Army in France immediately following World War II, Cowley observed that many severe traumatic injuries could be stabilized if the patient could be transported to a military hospital, where a surgeon was present, within one hour of the initial injury. Dr. Cowley coined the term "golden hour" to describe this crucial period of time. Dr. Cowley thus lobbied the legislature in Maryland to purchase helicopters for the transport of trauma patients to expedite their arrival to these higher-care facilities. The Maryland legislature initially denied his request, due to the cost of helicopters, but he was subsequently able to persuade the State of Maryland to purchase helicopters by agreeing to the premise they be shared with the Maryland State Police. Today, almost all major trauma centers in the United States utilize helicopters to transport trauma patients to the hospital.
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