Indian Health Service Statement on Patients Transported to Hospital After Vehicle Collision

UPDATED

On August 30, 2018, a collision involving commercial vehicles on Interstate 40 near Thoreau, New Mexico resulted in patients being transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center, a level III trauma center in Gallup, New Mexico. GIMC treated 21 patients from the incident. The medical center is a federal hospital operated by the Indian Health Service.

Gallup Indian Medical Center began receiving patients shortly after 1 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on August 30. Twelve patients were treated and released, four were transferred to the University of New Mexico Hospital, one was transferred to a hospital in Arizona, and four were admitted to GIMC. Of those patients admitted at GIMC, three have been discharged and one remains at the hospital and is in good condition.

“I want to express our sincere sympathies to those involved and their families”, said Kevin Gaines, M.D., a commander in the U.S. Public Health Service Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  and GIMC acting chief medical officer, during a press call on August 30. “Our team came together and responded to this unfortunate event, and we are very proud of their work today.”

GIMC is the closest trauma center to the site of the accident. The medical center practices emergency management preparedness and performs exercises involving mass casualty incidents.

The IHS, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov , provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Our mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level. Follow the agency via social media on Facebook Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  and Twitter Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov .