CentraState’s emergency medicine physician Bruce Bonanno, MD, FACEP, was chosen for a three-year appointment to the State Trauma System Advisory Committee established by former Gov. Chris Christie.
With more than 30 years of delivering emergency medicine in settings as varied as 12-bed rural hospitals, level-one trauma centers, Native American reservations and cruise ships, Dr. Bonanno was appointed to share his knowledge of pre-hospital care with the advisory committee which is dedicated to shaping policies regarding the state’s trauma system.
He was also the host of the television show “To Your Health” on News12 NJ for more than 10 years.
Dr. Bonanno will be working closely with representatives from first aid squads, EMS operations and trauma and non-trauma hospitals throughout the state. A goal of the committee, which meets every other month in New Brunswick, is to create a trauma registry to collect data that will be used to guide future legislation.
In addition to his new appointment and emergency physician role at CentraState, as alumni association president for Grenada-based St. George’s University School of Medicine, Dr. Bonanno is continually looking for new volunteer opportunities for alumni and students. At the end of February, he helped coordinate an international medical mission—his first.
During the mission, two physician-alums and four fourth-year medical students travelled to La Vega, Dominican Republic. The group used their fundamental clinical skills—instead of testing and technology—to diagnose and treat a variety of medical conditions, including rashes, parasite infestations, diabetes, hypertension, gastrointestinal illnesses, abscesses and wound infections. The team of doctors, over four days, saw more than 900 patients who cannot afford medical care.
The team had only history and physical exams and glucose, urine and pregnancy tests to diagnose each patient. Once the diagnosis was determined, the physicians would provide basic medications, like antibiotics and topical creams, or refer patients to local medical facilities for further testing or treatment.
Dr. Bonanno – who was shocked by the contrast between “resort” Dominican Republic and the living conditions of most of the country’s residents who live without a sewer system, indoor plumbing or drinkable water – plans to organize future missions.
