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26 IDAHO FALLS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER2019 EIRMC establishes Idaho's only dedicated burn treatment facility BYMEGAN EDWARDS Answering a Burning Question I've seen a lot of odd maps of the United States before. I've seen maps showing the location of every goat, the likelihood of someone saying "y'all" based on their state and even the density of meth labs per county. But when Coleen Niemann, director of marketing and com- munity relations at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), suggested I look at the American Burn Association's map of available burn centers, I found exactly what she had told me about. A gaping hole in the Midwest and western regions of the United States. At the beginning of this year, burn victims in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota had to travel hundreds of miles for treatment and continued care. According to Jeff Sollis, CEO of EIRMC, patients from Coeur d'Alene, Missoula, and Kalispell ended up in Seattle, while patients from Billings were primarily trans- ported to Denver. Those from Idaho Falls and the surrounding area made their way to Salt Lake City. "Think about the driving time a that a patient has to make and invest in if you're coming from, say, Great Falls, Montana, and having to drive all the way down to Salt Lake City or all the way to Seattle," Sollis said. "That's a huge financial burden and not very accessible." Of course, burn care doesn't end with the initial hospital visit. Sollis said 80% of burn care is outpatient. Jeff Sollis BRITTNEYBERNETTPHOTOS