Children's Minnesota Trauma Center Receives Level I Re-verification Status from the American College of Surgeons

MINNEAPOLIS, July 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The UnitedHealthcare® Pediatric Emergency Department and Level I Trauma Center at Children's Minnesota Minneapolis campus received re-verification maintaining its Level I pediatric trauma center status, the highest level offered by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma. Receiving the Level I re-verification indicates that Children's Minnesota continues to meet the highest standards of expertise and level of preparation to care for critically ill or injured children, furthering Children's Minnesota's commitment to families across the region. Children's Minnesota first received Level I status in 2013, becoming the first pediatric-only hospital in the state to receive this recognition.

Trauma is the leading cause of death and disability in children and adolescents. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, kids have better outcomes when treated at a stand-alone Level I pediatric trauma center versus adult trauma centers, even those with added Level I pediatric qualifications. With more than 60 pediatric specialty programs, Children's Minnesota is the largest pediatric health system in the state, last year caring for 15,000 hospitalized kids and experiencing more than 95,000 visits to our two emergency departments. Since 2011, trauma admissions have doubled.

"With one of the busiest emergency medicine programs in the nation and our storied expertise in pediatric critical care, our St. Paul and Minneapolis hospitals have long been the place to go for kids experiencing all types of trauma," said Robert Bonar, CEO of Children's Minnesota. "As our state's only free-standing pediatric Level I trauma center, the American College of Surgeons has again recognized our expertise to provide the highest level of care possible for seriously injured kids."

Among the attributes of Children's Minnesota Level I Pediatric Trauma Center:

• Accepts injured children directly from the site of traumatic injury when every minute counts either via ambulance or helicopter.
• More than 150 emergency department staff, including 41 board-certified or fellowship trained pediatric emergency physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and more.
• The only pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training program in Minnesota.
• 24/7 in-house pediatric trauma surgeons.
• Two large trauma bays, resuscitation rooms, a helipad and dedicated orthopedic room for fractures featuring advanced X-ray capabilities.
• Research programs and performance improvement efforts to ensure that each patient experience leads to the best possible outcome.
• Formalized orthopedics specialty relationships that allow for greater continuity in the caring for the immediate injury as well as all follow-up care and appointments.
• Child life specialists and social workers to assist patients and families with the physical, emotional and social issues and concerns during their hospital visit.
• Injury prevention efforts such as Making Safe Simple, Children's public education program designed to arm the community with basic safety and injury prevention tips.

The ACS Committee on Trauma verifies trauma centers based on specific criteria that must be met to ensure optimal institutional performance and trauma care capability. Each hospital undergoes a rigorous on-site review by a team of experienced trauma site reviewers to determine whether these criteria are being met and if verification can be granted. ACS verification lasts for a period of three years.

About Children's Minnesota

Children's Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children's Minnesota serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, 12 primary and specialty-care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Children's Minnesota maintains its longstanding commitment to the community to improve children's health by providing high-quality, family-centered pediatric services and advancing those efforts through research and education. This work is made possible in large part by generous philanthropic and volunteer support from individuals and organizations throughout the state and region. An award-winning health system, Children's Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children's hospital and by The Leapfrog Group for quality and efficiency. Please visit childrensMN.org.

Media Contacts:
Children's Minnesota
Madeline Riggs
(612) 812-2539
[email protected]

SOURCE Children’s Minnesota

Related Links

https://www.childrensmn.org/