For decades, the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has verified Barnes-Jewish Hospital's trauma center at Level I, the highest level of trauma care available.
As one of the busiest trauma centers in the state, treating more than 16,000 patients each year, Barnes-Jewish Hospital's Trauma Center is one of nine in Missouri to earn this national distinction.
Established by the ACS in 1987, the COT's verification program for hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers that provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the pre-hospital 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 ACS. The ACS COT's verification program does not designate trauma centers. Rather, the program confirms that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest-quality trauma care. The actual establishment and designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional, or state health care system's agencies.
The Barnes-Jewish Hospital Trauma Center is designated by the state of Missouri and the state of Illinois as a Level I Trauma Center. Although state requirements for Level I designation are high, national requirements are higher. The Level I verification from the ACS is the highest national recognition a trauma center can receive.
The four separate categories include Levels I through IV, with Level I ranking the highest. A Level I Trauma Center is a comprehensive regional resource that is a quaternary care facility central to the trauma system, offering the most advanced, rare, or experimental treatments.
Key elements of a Level I Trauma Center include:
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Microvascular surgery
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Provides leadership in prevention, public education, and continuing education of trauma team members
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Committed to continued improvement through a comprehensive quality assessment program and an organized research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care.