The Trauma Care You Receive Today Was Shaped by Saint Francis Research
John Marc Shellenberger, M.D.
Trauma Surgeon, Associate Trauma Medical Director
Saint Francis Health System
When you arrive at a trauma center, the decisions your care team makes aren't guesswork; they're the result of years of research, data and clinical experience. At Saint Francis, that research isn't just happening somewhere else and ultimately being adopted here.
It's being done here, by the surgeons treating patients in Tulsa every day.
A Research Program Built Around One Question
The Saint Francis Trauma Institute approaches research with a single guiding question: how can we do the best for the patient?
That means continuously measuring outcomes, comparing results against trauma programs throughout the U.S. and around the world, and contributing findings back to the broader medical community that sets the standard for trauma care.
"We're comparing our own outcomes with the rest of the trauma community both nationally and internationally, and contributing to the large body of trauma research that defines how we care for trauma patients," said John Marc Shellenberger, M.D., trauma surgeon and associate Trauma Medical Director at Saint Francis.
The program operates through a collaborative model involving trauma surgeons, a system research director, a dedicated research fellow and data analytics support — all working together to turn clinical questions into answers that improve patient care.
Quote from Dr. Shellenberger
Our goal is to provide the best, most current and evidence-based care we can to each patient. It’s about getting patients back to their normal lives
Research That Touches Every Step in a Trauma Patient's Journey
In a largely rural state like Oklahoma, trauma care begins well before a patient reaches the hospital. Saint Francis trauma research reflects that reality, spanning every phase of a patient's journey — from pre-hospital response and emergency transport, through surgery and inpatient care, all the way to rehabilitation and recovery.
Current research topics include:
- Pre-hospital chest trauma management
- Pneumothorax treatment strategies
- Tourniquet application and risks during prolonged transport
- Traumatic brain injury, including new approaches to measuring bleeding in the brain
- Optimal timing for blood clot prevention following spine injury
Every study conducted at Saint Francis goes through an institutional review board (IRB) — an independent body that provides ethical and regulatory oversight for research involving human subjects. Saint Francis works primarily with WCG and Advarra for IRB services.
Patient protection is the non-negotiable foundation of every project.
Surgeons Who Ask, "Could This Be Done Better?"
The physicians leading this research are the same ones caring for trauma patients day in and day out. That combination — active clinical practice paired with a commitment to research — is what keeps Saint Francis trauma care at the leading edge.
"Five or ten years ago, I never would have thought I'd see myself as a surgeon scientist," Dr. Shellenberger said. "But the farther I've gone in my career, the more I see the value of asking, 'Why do I do it this way? Could it be done better?'"
Saint Francis trauma physicians regularly present their findings at regional, national and international conferences — bringing Tulsa's insights to the world, and the world's best thinking back to Tulsa.
For patients in eastern Oklahoma, that means the care available close to home is being shaped by the same research driving trauma medicine forward everywhere.
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