News

Beebe's Trauma Center Receives American College of Surgeons Verification

12/02/08

Beebe Medical Center Trauma Center, which is part of the Emergency Department, has been reverified as a Level III trauma center by the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons. It has been verified as a Level III trauma center since 1999.

We are proud to continue to maintain this designation, says James P. Marvel, Jr., MD, Medical Director of the Trauma program. Our focus is to provide optimal care for our trauma patients.

The number of trauma cases treated by Beebe Medical Center Trauma Center has increased over the years, mirroring the area's population growth. In 1999, Beebe Medical Center documented fewer than 200 trauma cases. By 2007, that incident rate jumped to 644. The most common trauma cases treated at Beebe have been caused by falls and motor vehicle collisions.

As a Level III facility, Beebe Medical Center can stabilize and treat patients with life-threatening injuries, or transfer those patients who need specialized care, such as treatment of multiple injuries or neurosurgery, to a facility that offers a higher level of care. Beebe has five trauma surgeons on call and employs ground and air transport. Beebe's Trauma Center is integrated into the statewide trauma system that links emergency medical services with local hospitals to assure quick response.

Our physicians also take part in continuing medical education, says Dr. Marvel, who is fellowship trained in trauma medicine. He also attributed the quality of the Beebe Trauma Center to Jennifer Whaley, RN, CCRN, Trauma Program Manager, Michelle Arford-Granholm, Trauma Registrar, and Cheryl Littlefield, RN, Trauma and Emergency Management Coordinator. Beebe's trauma team also operates an outreach and education program to prevent injuries in the community. Team members speak to school children and promote swimming and bicycle safety. In recent years they have participated in the International Students Outreach Program.

The reverification 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 Verification/Consultation 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 pre-hospital 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 a 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 four 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 trauma surgeons, 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 59,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the College in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org