Dear friends and colleagues of the Panamerican Trauma Society:

The trauma in the Americas has occupied much of the work of our Society, and in recent years were added pathologies of non-traumatic emergency conditions. However, there is a type of trauma that is not seen, I mean the psychological trauma caused by the "mobbing "or labor abuse. In the last Congress in Medellin, I was very impressed with the President's speech, who emotionally referred how devastated was his country because of the violence. I did not think that in Chile, a country far more "quiet", where however, we see the effect of the scourge of drugs and street violence, would grow such "hidden" trauma, which affect us all, and [it is] not being "recognized".  Unfortunately, [this is] not discussed or treated. In relation to what was mentioned, unfortunately, the rarefied work environment of recent times in our hospitals, the harassment, the lack of consideration of technical decisions, and the dismissal of qualified surgeons in trauma care, has hit our medical task,  and what it is worse patient care. In Chile, although there are no laws specifically related to mobbing, [there were] applied legal bases establishing general principles of respect for the fundamental rights of workers. This is an issue that we should include in the Scientific Program of the XXVI SPT Congress given the importance [of the subject], and I should not be surprise [that this issue] affects most of our countries.

Friends and colleagues, with the full support of the Society of Surgeons of Chile, which embraces the PTS Congress, I hope to have the presence of all of you to highlight this Congress, which is being planned with so much love and effort. Chile is a beautiful country, located between the sea and the mountains with a Mediterranean climate in the central area, where it is located our capital Santiago, where the next Congress will be held. The program will include a student symposium, nursing, pre-hospital, quality issues, education, and everything new in relation to the management of trauma and emergency. Do not miss it. We are waiting [for you] with open arms and a nice social program.

Dr. Anamaria Pacheco

Past Presidents' Letters (pdf):

Juan Carlos Puyana, MD