Frankfort Regional Medical Center announced its trauma center has been verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.
Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the COT's Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the prehospital phase through the rehabilitation process.
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual.
The ACS Committee on Trauma's verification program does not designate trauma centers. Rather, the program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients. The actual establishment and the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional, or state health care systems agencies, such as the local emergency medical services (EMS) authority.
There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program. Each category has specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of verification. Each hospital has an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers, who use the current Resources for the Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual as a guideline in conducting the survey.
As a Level III Trauma Center, Frankfort Regional Medical Center meets the essential criteria as a trauma center capable of 24-hour emergency, operative and critical care. The hospital provides prompt assessment, resuscitation, emergency surgery and stabilization of trauma victims. This heightened level of care is provided by having trauma surgeons on call and trauma trained staff available all the time to diagnose and treat patients.
The Level III Trauma Center verification further solidifies the hospital’s dedication to providing optimal care for patients in Frankfort, Lawrenceburg and the surrounding communities. To become a Level III Trauma Center, Frankfort Regional Medical Center met stringent regulations. Additionally, each member of the trauma team—physicians, surgeons and nurses—fulfilled supplemental education requirements.
Steven Vallance, MD, PhD, Fellow American College of Surgeons, board-certified general surgeon, serves as Trauma Medical Director for Frankfort Regional Medical Center.
“I have cared for hundreds of trauma patients with varying levels of serious injury over the years and know how critical immediate care is in helping to save lives,” says Dr. Vallance. “This Level III Trauma Center verification is a great achievement for Frankfort Regional Medical Center and showcases our continued commitment and service to the community.”
At Frankfort Regional Medical Center’s new Level III Trauma program, Dr. Vallance works with an entire team of experienced trauma surgeons, medical specialists, and a skilled group of emergency medicine physicians. Bryan Shouse, MD, and Timothy Bowling, MD, board-certified general surgeons, also provide trauma coverage for the hospital’s Emergency Department for general surgery. Joseph Dobner, MD, Rick Lyon, MD and Dana Soucy, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeons, provide trauma coverage for orthopedics.
Chip Peal, Chief Executive Officer at Frankfort Regional Medical Center, says the Level III Trauma Center verification aligns with the hospital’s deeper commitment to comprehensive care for patients. “The Level III Trauma Center is an invaluable resource to the community that is available round the clock, every day. Caring for more patients right in our own community better serves the area’s residents,” he says.