Franciscan Health Crown Point has been designated a Level 3 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and is the only such center in Northwest Indiana that offers neurosurgery.
The Crown Point location is one of only 12 Level 3 trauma centers in Indiana.
The three-year certification followed an in-depth process that involved meeting requirements of the American College of Surgeons, which included two onsite visits with the reviewers, and a commitment from the hospital administration, staff and surgeons.
The program was developed under the medical directorship of surgeon Eric Woo, DO, FACS, who was assisted by Jennifer Homan, trauma coordinator.
“This achievement is a direct result of hard work and dedication by the nurses, staff and doctors at Franciscan Crown Point. This has, and will continue, to improve the care of Hoosiers in Northwest Indiana,” Dr Woo said. “It has been an honor to work with such a great team and I am excited about the future of this program and the privilege to serve our patients.”
He added that the hospital had to demonstrate that it met criteria for providing swift, excellent care to trauma and injured patients. Much of that involved commitment from surgeons in categories of general surgery, orthopedics, radiology, emergency medicine, neurosurgery and critical care.
“Surgeons have to be able to respond quickly when a trauma patient arrives at Franciscan Health Crown Point and they have to maintain specified training and education related to trauma care,” he said.
The Indiana triage and transport rule stipulates that injured patients meeting criteria are transported to a trauma center if they are within 45 minutes of a verified center.
Injuries are among the top-10 leading causes of death and the number-one cause of death of people up to age 44 locally, Homan said. “It is a serious public health issue in Northwest Indiana.”
The program, as part of its requirements, also offers child car seat safety, fall prevention for seniors and a Safe Kids Day event that highlights child prevention topics.
Barb Anderson, hospital president and chief executive officer, is proud of the achievement.
“The Sisters and our administrative team are very pleased to be one of two trauma service providers in Northwest Indiana. Our entire trauma team worked diligently and effectively over the past two years to obtain this well-deserved, three-year certification for the program.”
About the Level 3 Trauma Center verification
The Verification Review Committee is an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. The achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.
Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the 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.
The program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest-quality trauma care for injured patients. 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.
