Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center earns trauma center reaccreditation

Level II trauma designation affirms hospital’s ability to treat critically injured patients

Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center has earned reaccreditation as a Level II Trauma Center, in recognition of its ability to provide around-the-clock complex critical care for patients experiencing life-threatening and disabling injuries.

The hospital, which first earned accreditation as an adult trauma center from the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) in September 2017, is now accredited through Sept. 30, 2024.

“Timely, appropriate care is essential for people who have suffered traumatic injuries,” said Don McKenna, regional president, Holy Spirit Medical Center and Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center. “This reaccreditation affirms that Holy Spirit Medical Center has the skillful teams and the facilities to provide exceptional trauma care to people from across the West Shore and central Pennsylvania.”

According to the PTSF, the most common causes of injury that bring patients to a trauma center are falls and motor vehicle crashes. Other common causes of injury include burns, gunshot wounds and assaults.

Trauma centers treat patients from incidents such as motor vehicle accidents, falls and acts of violence. Holy Spirit Medical Center’s trauma team is led by Dr. Dale Dangleben, medical director of trauma, and is supported by skilled medical and surgical providers and nursing and support personnel, all of whom are crucial to the program’s success.

Holy Spirit Medical Center also has a rooftop helipad that allows for rapid access to emergency care for severely injured patients who are flown to the hospital.

There are four levels of trauma centers in Pennsylvania. Both Levels I and II are required to provide the same level of medical care and expertise. However, a Level I trauma center is required to perform research, have a surgical residency program and serve an annual volume of 600 major trauma patients. A Level II trauma center must have an annual major trauma patient volume of 350. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is the only Level I trauma center in Pennsylvania for both adults and children.

In addition to high-level surgical and medical care, trauma centers such as Holy Spirit Medical Center provide community outreach and trauma prevention programs.

The PTSF is responsible for establishing standards for accrediting trauma centers at varying levels based on a hospital’s resources and capabilities to follow trauma protocol. Standards are based on guidelines established by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.

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