LITTLETON, Colo., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) recently verified Littleton Adventist Hospital as a Level II Trauma Center, confirming the hospital’s commitment to quality and process improvements in treating critically injured trauma patients. In addition to having received a Level II designation by the state of Colorado, Littleton Hospital’s ACS verification meets national trauma care standards. A plaque dedication ceremony commemorating the hospital’s Level II verification by the ACS will be presented at Littleton Adventist Hospital, Monday, February 14 at 2:30 p.m. in the hospital’s atrium.
Littleton Adventist Hospital is the only Level II Trauma Center in Denver with a Level II designation by the state of Colorado and trauma level verification by the ACS. While ACS verification is not a requirement for a Level II trauma center designation, Littleton Adventist Hospital was dedicated to achieving this verification to demonstrate its commitment to providing exceptional trauma and critical care in south metro Denver.
“A verification from the ACS reflects our commitment to on-going efforts to provide quality trauma care by holding us to a national standard,” said Jodi Chambers, medical director, Littleton Adventist Hospital Trauma Services.
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. Key elements of a Level II Trauma Center include 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care. A Level II Trauma Center is committed to trauma prevention and to continuing education of trauma team members. Additionally, a Level II Trauma Center is dedicated to continued improvement in trauma care through a comprehensive quality assessment program.
Littleton Adventist Hospital received official verification from the ACS in December. Achieving formal verification from the College confirms that severely injured patients are able to receive care that meets the highest national standards developed for trauma centers.
“I am proud and grateful for the hard work and dedication by our physicians, nursing and clinical staff and hospital administrators for helping us achieve this verification,” said Dr. Chambers.
As a part of receiving verfication from the ACS, Littleton Adventist Hospital has committed to quality and process improvements to effectively treat the most critically injured trauma patients including investing in critical, life-saving advanced technologies, such as the low-radiation StatScan Critical Imaging System, that performs a complete body scan in 13 seconds. Littleton Adventist Hospital is the only Level II Trauma Center in Colorado to use this high-speed, low-dose x-ray system to capture images of the entire body in a fraction of the usual time while using less radiation than standard x-rays.
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. The College has 59,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the College on the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for surgical patients.
Littleton Adventist Hospital is part of Centura Health, a faith-based hospital system sponsored by Adventist Health System and Catholic Initiatives. Littleton Adventist Hospital is an acute-care, 175-bed hospital and Level II Trauma Center. Known for its women and newborn care including a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, surgical services and emergency care, Littleton Adventist Hospital has been south metro Denver’s premier full-service medical center since 1989.
Littleton Adventist Hospital
CONTACT: Allison Hamm of Littleton Adventist Hospital, +1-303-734-8613,or pager, +1-303-203-5447
Web site: http://www.littletonhosp.org/