The Statewide Trauma System Act passed effortlessly through the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

Now, the bill will move to the House floor for a final vote next week. If passed, it will then go to Gov. Mark Sanford for his signature.

The proposed Statewide Trauma System Act is intended to do two things: formalize the infrastructure of the state's struggling trauma system and create a permanent trauma fund to support administrative costs and help cover the costs of unreimbursed care.

The trauma bill, which has 45 co-sponsors, has been strongly supported in the House, said Melanie Lux, spokesperson for the Save the System Coalition.

Contrary to widespread belief, the state's trauma system receives no government funding and does not require mandatory participation on the part of hospitals, emergency response teams, or medical personnel. Operations depend entirely upon the voluntary involvement of people like Dr. Mark Reynolds, trauma director at McLeod Regional Medical Center.

As one of only eight dedicated trauma surgeons in the state, he has experienced the emotional and financial tolls of working with a trauma system that is lacking an infrastructure. Reynolds said that more medical personnel are needed to reduce the high rate of burn-out amongst those who bear the burden of treating the most complex trauma cases without adequate compensation.

"There's a reason no one wants to do this," he said.

Should the bill receive Sanford's stamp of approval, a more structured system would be implemented that would provide for a set base of trained trauma workers. Eventually, the bill would also establish a steady funding source.

Patty Smoak, vice president of the South Carolina Hospital Association, said 23 percent of South Carolinians are uninsured, and many others are underinsured, or rely upon Medicare or Medicaid to cover the high costs of trauma care.

In 2001, S.C. trauma centers lost $18.3 million, which has resulted in some hospitals and personnel dropping out of the system and leaving entire regions of the state vulnerable. In the Pee Dee, there are four centers offering various levels of trauma care.

McLeod is a Level II center and receives the area's most complex cases. Carolinas Hospital System, formerly a Level II, downgraded to a Level III recently because of a lack of system funding. Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville and Marion County Medical Center also operate as Level III centers.

Smoak said that each plays a unique role in the trauma system, and that the Pee Dee is fortunate to have such a comprehensive network of trauma centers.