University of Texas Field Operations Research Clinical Engine (UT-Force)
The Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4), a University of Texas System initiative, is investing in a groundbreaking initiative: UT FORCE, a platform designed to conduct prehospital clinical trials with the potential to revolutionize trauma and emergency care across Texas. This funding represents more than financial support—it’s a strategic commitment to building capabilities that will save lives when every second counts.
What Does This Funding Mean to You or Your Team?
For our team, this investment means the opportunity to create a first-of-its-kind infrastructure for real-world research in the prehospital setting. By enabling clinical trials in the field, we can address critical gaps in trauma care and emergency interventions, ultimately improving outcomes for both civilians and service members.
What Do You Hope to Accomplish Through This Project?
Our immediate goal is to pilot a prehospital clinical trials platform in the South Texas region, starting in San Antonio. This platform will host field-based research on topics vital to trauma care, emergency medicine, and military health. By creating a robust and scalable system, we aim to accelerate discoveries that can be rapidly translated into practice.
How Could This Work Impact Care or the Broader Community?
Once successfully piloted, UT FORCE will serve as a blueprint for other regions in Texas to establish similar platforms. As Dr. DeLorenzo explains: “The vision is to connect each platform into a statewide network that can advance important research in trauma, emergency care and military medicine.”
Building a Network for Success
A key feature of UT FORCE is its objective method for selecting EMS agencies with the highest relevance and likelihood of success in research. This approach ensures early wins and builds momentum for broader adoption. Complementing this network will be the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs)—22 across Texas—that coordinate care in their districts. Partnerships with the Department of Defense, other governmental agencies, research foundations, and non-UT universities will further amplify the impact of this initiative.
The Vision
Ahead UT FORCE is more than a project—it’s a movement toward a future where trauma research begins at the point of injury, not just in the hospital. By connecting expertise, resources, and innovation across Texas, we can create a model that transforms emergency care nationwide.
