Level III trauma designation re-verified at Frankfort Regional Medical Center
Frankfort Regional Medical Center has been re-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.
Frankfort Regional Medical Center was initially verified as a Level III trauma center in 2013, and was re-verified in 2016. Frankfort is one of only four Level III trauma centers in Kentucky. There are two Level I trauma centers, and one Level II trauma center.
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.
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."
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 (see attachment to this press release). 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.
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College has over 72,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.
Reed Hammond, 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.