Trauma levels?

It has to do with the availibillity of surgical staff and specialized equipment like MRI, angiography.........

These things need to be availible 24/7 for a level one rating.

There are many other criteria, but I do not know all of them.

Level one, tends to have all surgical specialties in house 24/7.

Level two and three have them on beeper call. Level three additionally may not have all specialties availible.

Craig

Thank you.

I have seen listings for jobs that have trauma sites rated from I-III.

What is the difference between these levels?

Thank you.

Trauma Center Information

This is from the site http://nsucomems.tripod.com/what_is_a_trauma_center.htm

It's about Florida Trauma Centers, but since I live in Florida, that's what you get for free...

What is a Trauma Center?

A trauma center, as trauma surgeons are fond of saying, is NOT just an emergency room. State designated trauma centers meet specific criteria as set forth by governing agencies. Florida is quite specific in their designation of trauma centers and follows the American College of Surgeon's recommendations for accreditation. The Florida Department of Health has a voluminous document, available on line, that details the mechanisms behind accreditation. You can visit the DOH website or specifics. The NSUCOM EMS club will try to provide its members with a basic, "overview" of trauma center services. The trauma surgeon is the resuscitation team leader. The trauma surgeon is an individual who has completed a general surgical resisdency. Trauma surgeons have additional fellowship training (two more years) in surgical critical care and trauma surgery. Currently, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center offers these post graduate surgical fellowships.

Florida trauma centers are currently designated as level one or two. The state does not currently classify level III trauma centers. Level III trauma centers are basically 24 hour emergency rooms that have designated trauma teams, on call professionals, and are capable of transferring patients to a higher level of care. When injured patients meet trauma alert criteria, state guidelines stipulate that they should be conveyed via emergency medical services to level one or level two facilities. The term "closest appropriate facility" applies to the transport of critically ill patients. Indeed, pediatric patients may require expert care immediately available at level one or pediatric referral centers. Florida also approves hospitals to function as pediatric trauma referral centers. These hospitals are either Level One facilities or meet the qualifications outlined by the American College of Surgeon's Committee on Trauma.

Level One Facility Requirements:

In house qualified trauma surgeon

In house qualified neurosurgeon

In house qualified radiologist

In house qualified emergency physician

In house qualified anesthesiologist

Trauma medical director (trauma surgeon)

Emergency medicine medical director (MD/DO)

Trauma program manager (RN)

24 hour CT availability

24 hour equipped and staffed operating suite

Backup and equipped surgical suite

Trauma intensive care facilities for adult and pediatric patients

Trained trauma team

-At least 1 trauma surgeon (as team leader)

-At least 1 attending EM physician

-At least 2 trained trauma nurses

Dedicated resuscitation suites (to manage two simultaneously multi-system injured patients)

24 hour laboratory facilities

Protocol for in house burn care

Rehabilitation facilities

Helicopter landing pad

Pediatric resuscitation facilities, personnel, and intensive care units

Administrative requirements

Research requirements

EMS requirements

*The term, "qualified" pertains to state guidelines. In some instances, senior emergency medicine residents/fellows or senior surgical resisdents can substitute for their attending counterparts.

Level Two Facility Requirements:

Same as above, except requirements for in house and on call physicians vary. Level Two facilities generally meet all Level One criteria but are not required to have neurosurgeons/trauma surgeons in house. Furthermore, Level Two facilities are not mandated to handle pediatric trauma. Emergency rooms must necessarily be capable of managing critically ill and injured pediatric patients, but Level II facilities are generally not designated as pediaric trauma referral centers (PTRCs). Some hospitals, like North Broward Medical Center, are Level II designated and elect to keep a trauma surgeon in house 24 hours/day. The state requires that on call trauma specialists must sign a letter of commitment and arrive promptly once summoned by house staff.

State Approved Trauma Centers, as of 07/02

FACILITY REGION DESIGNATION

Broward General Medical Center Ft. Lauderdale Level One Adult / PTRC

North Broward Medical Center Pompano Beach Level Two Adult

Memorial Hospital Hollywood Hollywood Level One Adult / PTRC

Ryder Trauma Center at UM/JM Miami Level One Adult / PTRC

Miami Children's Hospital Miami PTRC

Orlando Regional Medical Center Orlando Level One Adult / PTRC

Tampa General Hospital Tampa Level One Adult / PTRC

Bayfront Medical Center St. Petersburg Level Two Adult and PTRC w/All Children's

Shands Jacksonville, UFHSCJ Jacksonville Level One Adult / PTRC

Lakeland Ragional Medical Center Lakeland Level Two Adult

Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola Level Two Adult

Holmes Regional Medical Center Melbourne Level Two Adult

Hailifax Medical Center Daytona Beach Level Two Adult

West Florida Medical Center NW Florida Level Two Adult

Baptist Hospital Pensacola Level Two Adult

St. Mary's Hospital Palm Beach Level Two Adult / PTRC

Lee Memorial Hospital Central Florida Level Two Adult

Delray Beach Medical Center Delray Beach Level Two Adult

Thank you also.