International

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AT

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INTERNATIONAL

August 2010

Click on each of the colored countries to read the corresponding article.

ATLS International is a monthly electronic newsletter that circulates the latest information on news and events across 

the ATLS global spectrum. Please contact Jasmine Alkhatib with questions or suggestions at [e-mail].

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About our orgAniz Ation And ContAC t inform Ation

Ne x t Page

ATLS in Chile 

Remains Strong

ATLS Coordinator Meeting 

to Take Place in October

Site Visit Takes 

Place in Accra

ATLS–Nigeria Holds 

Inaugural Course

France Is Now Part 

of the ATLS Family!

ATLS–France Holds 

Inaugural Course

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AT

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INTERNATIONAL

August 2010

The ATLS Program in Chile, which has conducted 

Student and Instructor courses regularly since its 

inception, turns 24 on November 11, 2010. 

Just three years after Chile’s inaugural course, Chilean ATLS 

faculty members collaborated to introduce the program 

to several neighboring countries, which include Argentina, 

Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. Beyond U.S. and Canadian borders, all 

efforts put forth by the group have consistently maintained 

the high-quality standards required by the American 

College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT). 

Since 2005, current ATLS status is mandatory for all 

who serve in emergency services in Chile. The very 

presence of this requirement has pervaded other 

activities at a rescue level, such as the PHTLS and ATCN 

programs, which are also available in Chile under the 

Chilean COT of the American College of Surgeons.

The ATLS philosophy even extends to annual ACS Chilean 

Congress activities. For example, a traditional activity during 

the Chilean Congress is “Trauma Day.” Developed by Dr. Carlos 

Carvajal H. (ATLS–Chile Chair), and Dr. Froilan Fernandez 

(ATLS–Chile National Coordinator), “Trauma Day” is entirely 

devoted to highlighting and updating attendees on the 

management of trauma in all its particularities. In the wake 

of the catastrophic 8.8-Richter earthquake suffered by Chile 

on February 27 of this year, the Chilean COT decided to 

move forward with the activities planned for the May 2010 

Chilean Congress; however, the agenda was slightly modified 

in order to host a symposium for discussion and analysis of 

topics relating to the recent earthquake. Topics included:

•

Disaster Planning: General Guidelines for Management 

and Mechanism of Local and National Response by 

Alberto Maturana, MD, former director of Onemi

•

Emergency Preparedness: Community and 

Hospital Disaster Plan Training by Will Chapleau, 

EMT-P, RN, TNS, ATLS Program Manager

•

Chile as a Model of a Seismic Country? Advances in 

Forecasting. Risk Mitigation Research by Mr. Jaime Campos, 

professor of seismology at the University of Chile

•

Failure and/or Lessons Learned: Experiences in the 

Field by Heriberto Perez, MD, ATLS Instructor

The different topics analyzed helped participants reach several 

conclusions that can be applied to regulations, procedures, 

and updates in future cataclysmic events. These topics inspired 

much interest from the majority of Chilean Congress attendees.

Norman McSwain, MD, FACS, founder and medical 

director of the PHTLS program, took the opportunity to 

pay special tribute to Will Chapleau, who initiated the 

PHTLS program in Chile in 1997. Dr. McSwain said Mr 

Chapleau is a great friend to the program and has made 

outstanding contributions to ATLS in his time with the 

program. Dr. McSwain commended Mr. Chapleau’s work 

in a letter that was read out loud during the Congress:

“PHTLS has now reached almost 600,000 people, and ATLS 

has reached almost one million. If each person who has 

been taught PHTLS and ATLS in his or her career provides 

better care to only 10 people, then Will Chapleau has been 

the architect or the administrator of programs that have 

touched the lives of more than 10 million patients. That 

is an accomplishment very few people in the world have 

achieved. Will Chapleau ranks among these leaders.”