As part of a legislative mandate, hospitals will be required to be a designated trauma center in order to accept trauma patients. This new system will allow injured patients to receive the care they need more quickly. Trauma level designations are ranked from I-IV, with Level I and II having the most trauma care resources available.
University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview is on track to become an official Level II trauma center by early 2009. As a Level II trauma center, University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview will be able to provide complex care to most types of pediatric trauma sustained from incidents such as motor vehicle crashes, child abuse, disasters, falls and gun shot wounds.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, statewide trauma centers have increased the survival rate of seriously injured patients by 15 to 20 percent. Other added benefits include a 9 percent decrease in motor vehicle crash deaths and improved statewide disaster preparedness.
University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview provides a wide range of pediatric services and strengths in:
• General surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Emergency medicine
• Pediatric intensive care
• Rehabilitation
Along with these specialized areas, leading edge research, and a highly skilled care team in place, we can provide life-saving care for seriously injured pediatric patients. “Many trauma centers are University hospitals and are best equipped to contribute to the research dimension of pediatric trauma care,” states Donavon Hess, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, medical director, Pediatric Trauma Program at University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview.
In addition, University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview has existing resources to treat pediatric trauma patients including:
• Radiology
• Operating rooms
• ICU’s
• Medical staff subspecialties
For more information about the Level II trauma designation at University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview, contact Donovan Taylor, RN, CEN, Director, Trauma Services at dtaylor1@fairview.org.
