July 23, 2019
THEDACARE RECEIVES EXTENDED LEVEL II TRAUMA CENTER VERIFICATION
Advancing Trauma Care in Neenah
NEENAH, Wis. – ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah has been reverified as a Level II Trauma Center for a period of three years, until May 2022.
“The Level II Trauma Center verification represents the commitment ThedaCare has to improving the health of the communities we serve,” said Mark Thompson, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for ThedaCare. “By offering advanced trauma care close to home, we are able to best serve our patients and their families.”
The Verification Review Committee (VRC), a subcommittee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons, carefully reviewed the materials provided by the ThedaCare trauma team members. The verification process promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, as well as the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients.
“When caring for those who are experiencing a trauma, we understand that they will likely need continued care,” said Thompson. “This is why our trauma program is backed by more than 7,000 ThedaCare team members, providing services across the spectrum of care.”
The ACS Committee on Trauma's verification program confirms that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients. There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program (Level I Trauma Center, Level II Trauma Center, Level III Trauma Center, Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center), each with specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of verification.
“The verification process is quite rigorous and allows us the opportunity to validate that the trauma care provided at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah is of highest quality,” said Dr. David Schultz, Director of the Trauma Center and Co-Medical Director of ThedaStar. “It takes the work of a large team of people throughout the hospital to meet the high standards set by the American College of Surgeons for a Level II Trauma Center.”
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. Wisconsin's integrated system of trauma care requires the identification of hospitals as trauma care facilities by using the Level I, II, III, IV or “unclassified” structure.
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Level I: |
Hospital is characterized by capability to provide leadership and total care for every aspect of traumatic injury from prevention through rehabilitation, including research. |
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Level II: |
Hospital provides the initial definitive trauma care regardless of the severity of injury, but differs from Level I in teaching and research capability. |
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Level III: |
Hospital provides assessment, resuscitation, stabilization, and emergency surgery and arranges transfer to a Level I or II facility for definitive surgical and intensive care as necessary. |
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Level IV: |
Facility provides stabilization and advanced trauma life support prior to patient transfer to a Level I or II. |
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Unclassified: |
Hospital has chosen not to be part of the Trauma Care System or has not been approved as a Level I, II, III or IV. |
Participation in the classification system is voluntary. According to Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the purpose of the statewide trauma care system is to reduce death and disability after a traumatic injury, while providing the best care possible.
“The comprehensive services available in Northeast and Central Wisconsin are integral to the accessibility of advanced trauma care,” said Dr. Schultz. “With trauma, minutes matter. The ability to treat severely injured patients in the Fox Valley, as opposed to transferring them out of the area, has saved countless lives over the years.”
All seven ThedaCare hospitals take part in the Trauma Care System.
- ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton: Level III
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin: Level IV
- ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah: Level II
- ThedaCare Medical Center-New London: Level IV
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano: Level IV
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca: Level IV
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Wild Rose: Level IV
ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah is one of nine Level II trauma centers in the state of Wisconsin. Only two hospitals in the state have the Level I designation. The main difference between the Levels I and II is that Level I centers have a full time surgical residency and conduct trauma research.
“Having multiple levels of trauma designation throughout the ThedaCare system allows us the opportunity to offer different types of care, depending on the situation,” said Thompson. “Our team members are prepared to perform life-saving measures within their trauma setting.”
A significant feature of the ThedaCare trauma program is ThedaStar. The air medical program provides helicopter transports and transfers for trauma patients and critically ill patients, including transport from our rural hospitals. This collaboration allows for our teams, across the entire region, to work in concert with each other.
“As an ACS Verified Level II Trauma Center, patients can be confident in knowing they are receiving the highest quality of trauma care from ThedaCare,” said Dr. Schultz. “We are proud to have been continuously verified since 1998 and are committed to continuing care for our patients and families.”
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization serves a community of more than 600,000 residents and employs more than 7,000 healthcare professionals throughout the regions. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 31 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.
For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
Media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public Relations Specialist at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
