It is with tremendous sadness that International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) announces the passing of our founder and president, John Emory Campbell, MD, FACEP, of Alabama. Dr. Campbell passed away in his home on August 29, 2018 after a long illness. He was 75 years old.
Known worldwide for his groundbreaking work in developing prehospital trauma education, Dr. Campbell founded the Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) program in 1982. It was the first course and curriculum dedicated to prehospital trauma assessment and trauma care worldwide. Dr. Campbell conducted the first BTLS course at Southeast Alabama EMS System on August 23, 1982. The goal of the first BTLS course was to provide the student the knowledge and experience to recognize, assess and care for critical trauma patients and ensure timely transport to the emergency department. Students were taught to identify conditions requiring “load and go.” From its beginning, patient assessment has been the core of the BTLS/ITLS curriculum.