FRIDAY, MAY 01, 2026
11:00 AM - 11:10 AM | WELCOME
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM | FROM SCENE TO SYSTEM: REDEFINING CARE BEFORE THE HOSPITAL
The latest innovations in trauma care are now available to patients long before they reach the hospital. This session highlights the evidence-based practices that are redefining prehospital response and giving patients the greatest possible chance for a positive outcome. From whole-blood resuscitation to point-of-care ultrasound, we will explore how EMS teams are adopting new tools, overcoming real-world challenges, and building partnerships that strengthen every link in the trauma system through innovation. Join us to see how bold ideas and proven strategies are shaping the future of care in those first critical moments.
12:10 PM - 12:50 PM | LIFE AFTER TRAUMA: A SURVIVOR'S JOURNEY PANEL DISCUSSION
12:50 PM - 1:30 PM | TRAUMA CENTERS: CARE FOR ALL
Trauma centers are built on universal access in crisis, delivering life-saving care to anyone who comes through the door. This session explores trauma care through a public health lens, addressing equity and access while examining the ethical and emotional challenges providers face in high stress environments. We will discuss moral distress, its impact on caregivers, and practical strategies organizations can use to better support the teams who care for everyone.
1:30 PM - 1:40 PM | BREAK
1:40 PM - 2:20 PM | BEYOND THE TRAUMA BAY: DESIGNING CONNECTED SUPPORT FOR LONG-TERM RECOVERY
What happens after a life-saving intervention? For many trauma survivors, the transition from hospital to home marks the beginning of their greatest challenges. This session explores how virtual peer connection and thoughtfully designed digital tools can close the “discharge cliff” and strengthen long-term recovery. Drawing on lived survivor experience and TandemStride’s collaboration with the Trauma Survivors Network, we will share how scalable, empathy-driven systems are expanding access, building trust, and redefining survivor-centered care. Join us to see how innovation and community are shaping the next chapter of trauma recovery.
2:20 PM - 3:35 PM | FROM INSIGHT TO IMPACT: INNOVATION ACROSS THE TRAUMA SYSTEM
Innovation in trauma care is transforming how data is captured, analyzed, and applied across the continuum. This interdisciplinary panel will explore how AI-driven trauma registry practices are informing real-time clinical decision making, how performance improvement programs are turning insights into measurable system change, and how injury prevention teams are leveraging data to advance lifesaving technologies and community safety. Together, these perspectives demonstrate how innovation is improving patient outcomes and extending its impact beyond hospital walls.
3:35 PM - 4:20 PM | AI IN ACTION: TRANSFORMING TRAUMA CARE THROUGH INNOVATION
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of trauma care, offering new opportunities to enhance clinical decision-making, streamline workflows, inform EMS destination and activation processes, and improve patient outcomes. From predictive analytics and automated data abstraction to real-time clinical support tools, AI is helping trauma teams identify risk sooner, reduce variability in care, and optimize performance across the continuum.
This session will examine practical applications of AI within trauma systems, including its integration into trauma registry processes, performance improvement programs, and clinical decision support for EMS, ED, and Trauma clinical personnel. Participants will explore both the promise and the challenges of implementation, including data integrity, ethical considerations, and workforce readiness. Join us for a forward-looking discussion on how intelligent technologies are augmenting clinical expertise and shaping the next era of trauma care.
4:20 PM - 4:30 PM | BREAK
4:30 PM - 5:10 PM | SETTING THE TONE: LEADING WITH PURPOSE, COMPASSION, AND VISION
Creating a thriving trauma program starts with strong leadership and a clear commitment to the well-being of teams and the patients they serve. This session explores what it means to truly “set the tone” in trauma care by embracing trauma informed leadership, fostering resilience and wellness, and driving meaningful innovation and quality improvement.
Through real examples and forward-thinking strategies, we will examine how leaders can build trust, strengthen communication, support psychological safety, and guide teams through change. Participants will learn how resilience practices enhance team performance, how to cultivate a workplace culture rooted in compassion and respect, and how data driven innovation and continuous improvement elevate patient outcomes.
Whether you are a seasoned leader or stepping into leadership for the first time, this session will inspire you to lead with clarity, intention, and heart while equipping your team to deliver exceptional trauma care.
5:10 PM - 5:30 PM | CLOSING REMARKS