OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group has been designated a Level Four Trauma Center by the state of Michigan. OSF St. Francis Hospital has always worked to save the lives of critically injured patients and this designation is a confirmation to the emergency team’s commitment to providing high-quality trauma care to the patients they serve.
A Level IV Trauma Center has 24-hour emergency coverage by a provider who has Advanced Trauma Life Support certification and has a formal trauma program in place. Trauma program team members have worked diligently the last two years to put processes and training into place to meet the state’s requirements. This work consists of additional training for the safe and reliable management of injured patients, including the stabilization of seriously injured patients who need to be transferred to larger trauma centers.
“Achieving this designation says so much about the skill of our emergency team and highlights the importance of our long-standing partnerships with local emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, including Rampart and Guardian Flight (Valley Med Flight),” says Dave Lord, president of OSF St. Francis Hospital, “Our emergency team works 24/7 to diagnose and treat injuries quickly and efficiently while working in sync with local EMS agencies to ensure patients get the appropriate level of care they need.”
To be recognized as a Level IV Trauma Center, there was an onsite visit from state surveyors, an extensive application, and a two-year training process at OSF St. Francis. “Successfully achieving the Level Four trauma designation means we take a coordinated, evidence-based approach to evaluating, stabilizing and quickly determining next steps of care for our patients,” explains Julie DeLaire, trauma coordinator for OSF St. Francis Hospital. “The designation fosters an even stronger partnership with EMS to ensure the best care for patients from the scene of the injury, through the emergency department, and transfer to a larger trauma center if necessary.”
Michigan has been engaged in formal trauma system development since 2000. The vision for Michigan is a regionalized, coordinated and accountable system of emergency care that ensures the right patient gets to the right place at the right time. OSF St. Francis Hospital and local EMS agencies share in this goal and together, continue to make a positive impact on the health of Delta County and surrounding areas.