Trauma Center at The Children’s Hospital Re-verified by American College of Surgeons

The trauma center at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medicine has been re-verified as a Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.

In 2001, the Trauma One Center was designated as Oklahoma’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest national ranking a trauma center can receive. The verification process by the American College of Surgeons validates that trauma centers have all resources necessary for any type of trauma care.

“The renewal of our verification from the American College of Surgeons is gratifying because it confirms the commitment and hard work that our team delivers day in and day out,” said The Children’s Hospital President Jon Hayes. “We are able to provide the highest level of trauma care to children and young adults when an emergency arises.”

As a Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center, Trauma One offers comprehensive care to handle the most critical emergencies. Trauma One provides 24-hour coverage by trauma surgeons, and quick availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, pediatrics, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery and more.

Operating rooms and trauma surgeons are available 365 days a year, and the air ambulance can be dispatched in minutes to airlift patients to Trauma One. Children are diagnosed and treated with age-appropriate technology and by physicians and other healthcare professionals whose specialty is children. Many have advanced certification in pediatric care, including Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification. Trauma One is also the only emergency room in the state with a full-time child life specialist to help children and families understand and cope with medical procedures.

In addition to serving people across Oklahoma, Trauma One, because of its location in the geographic center of the state, is ideally positioned for regional access. An injured child’s best chance for survival is when treatment occurs within an hour of the event. Paramedics, ambulance systems and other hospitals across the state play key roles in transporting patients to Trauma One within an hour.

The verification of Trauma One was conducted by the Verification Review Committee, a subcommittee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. Verified trauma centers must meet essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma in its manual Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient.

There are five categories of verification in the program. In addition to submitting documentation, Trauma One had an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers.