XENIA — Greene Memorial Hospital has retained its Level III trauma verification from the American College of Surgeons.
Verified trauma centers meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance as outlined by the ACS’ Committee on Trauma. GMH has the longest standing Level III trauma center in Ohio and is one of just two verified trauma centers in Greene County.
“It gives everybody piece of mind that we can do it, and we have been doing it,” said Dr. Linda Bailey, medical director of trauma services for GMH. “If a patient comes to us with a fractured arm or an abdominal injury or a head injury, they would be able to be treated at our Level III trauma center with the same level of expertise (as a Level I or II). More than 95 percent of trauma patients can be cared for in a Level III trauma center.”
According to the ACS, a Level III trauma center has demonstrated an ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations and must have 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologits.
“It’s a big commitment for the hospital to maintain the verification as a Level III trauma center,” Bailey said. “We’ve been able to really prove to the ACS that were worthy of maintaining our level III trauma verification.”
Without the Level III verification, Bailey said emergency crews would not be able to come to GMH as often.
“That would cause our emergency medical technicians and paramedics within the community to not have the consistent ability … to take a patient to a facility that they can be assured they could handle the situation,” she said. “The patients need the best possible care. It’s of critical importance to the citizens of our community.”
Verification also helps improve the overall quality of the hospital.
“The ER is our front door for our hospital,” said GMH President Rick Dodds. “It really does add a halo effect overall. It’s extremely important that we continue to refocus on the re-verification and that we passed the re-verification process with such a high level of quality. It’s a good thing for our community.”
Dodds added that it’s rare for a hospital with around 22,000 ER cases per year to be verified.
“It’s phenomenal,” he said. “It really is just a better outcome for the patients and the community. I believe that our patients in our community can expect a high level of quality and care.”
