Pottsville, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2023) \u2013 Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)\u2013Schuylkill has been approved by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) Board of Directors as a Level IV Trauma Center effective November 1, 2023.<\/p>\n
The PTSF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the Emergency Medical Services Act (Act 1985-45). The PTSF is the organization responsible for accrediting trauma centers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
As a Level IV trauma center, LVH\u2013Schuylkill has the resources immediately available to provide optimal care and reduce the likelihood of death or disability to injured patients. Accredited trauma centers must be continuously prepared to treat the most serious life-threatening and disabling injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis exciting accomplishment is proof that our team at LVH\u2013Schuylkill is dedicated to providing optimal care to our trauma population,\u201d says Kaitlyn Daniels, RN, Trauma Program Coordinator. \u201cWe are very proud to extend our clinical services to these patients in need.\u201d<\/p>\n
The emergency medical services (EMS) system is an integral component to a trauma center. The EMS system assures appropriate patient care management from the time of injury to treatment at a local trauma center through the rehabilitative phase of care.<\/p>\n
\u201cCare for the trauma patient begins out in the field, at the scene before a person comes in through our emergency department,\u201d says Marc Bonin, DO, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine and Trauma Director at LVH\u2013Schuylkill. \u201cCoordination of care with our pre-hospital providers and between specialties and departments within the hospital, and the level of medical care provided to patients, has taken a giant leap forward with this accreditation. Trauma accreditation signifies that our hospital has significantly elevated our ability to not only care for the injured in our community, but for the provision of medical care in every area of the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Level IV Trauma Center accreditation demonstrates our team\u2019s dedication to provide patients with the highest quality of care and expertise right here in our community,\u201d says Bill Reppy, President, LVH\u2013Schuylkill. \u201cOur team is vast and diverse, consisting not only of the dedicated emergency and other health care professionals at LVH\u2013Schuylkill, but also pre-hospital first responders, the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN)\u2013MedEvac medical flight team and the resources of our partner at Lehigh Valley Hospital\u2013Cedar Crest which is accredited as both a Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. Working together, we are providing the best and most efficient care to trauma patients throughout Schuylkill County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Level IV<\/strong>\u00a0trauma centers, often smaller in size and located in a rural area, can provide initial care and stabilization of traumatic injuries while arranging transfer to a higher level of trauma care.\u00a0A Level IV Trauma Center has demonstrated an ability to provide Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center according to the PTSF. It provides timely evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic capabilities for injured patients utilizing ATLS protocols and 24-hour laboratory\/diagnostic coverage.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Pennsylvania\u00a0there are four levels of trauma centers. Level I trauma centers provide the highest degree of resources with a full spectrum of specialists and must have trauma research and surgical residency programs. Level II trauma centers meet the same high level of care but do not require research and residency programs and many subspecialists in cardiac surgery, hand surgery, vascular<\/p>\n re-implantation, oral\/maxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngological surgery, neurology, physiatry and psychiatry. Level III trauma centers are smaller community hospitals that do not require neurosurgeons and focus on stabilizing severe trauma patients prior to transport to a higher-level trauma center. They may admit patients with mild and moderate injuries. Level IV trauma centers provide enhanced care to injured patients within the emergency department and focus on stabilization and quick transfer to a higher-level trauma center. They may admit mildly injured patients.<\/p>\n Each trauma center regardless of its level is an integral component of the emergency medical services (EMS) system.\u00a0The EMS system assures appropriate patient care management from the time of injury to treatment at a local hospital or trauma center through the rehabilitative phase of care.<\/p>\n In addition to the Level IV Trauma Accreditation, LVH\u2013Schuylkill is also a Certified Chest Pain Center and an Accredited Primary Stroke Center.<\/p>\n Lehigh Valley Health Network<\/a>\u00a0(LVHN) includes 13 hospital campuses, four in<\/p>\n Allentown, two in Bethlehem, one in Easton, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton, two in Pottsville, one in Dickson City, and one in\u00a0Lehighton, Pa.; 28 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 20\u00a0ExpressCARE<\/a>\u00a0locations including the area\u2019s only\u00a0Children\u2019s ExpressCARE<\/a>; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children; burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal\/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center; and robotic surgery in 10 specialties.\u00a0Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute<\/a>,\u00a0Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute<\/a>,\u00a0Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence<\/a>,\u00a0Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute<\/a>\u00a0physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is a member of the\u00a0Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance<\/a>\u00a0(MSK Cancer Alliance)<\/u>, an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials.\u00a0Lehigh Valley Reilly Children\u2019s Hospital<\/a>, the third largest children\u2019s hospital in Pennsylvania, provides care in more than 30 specialties and general pediatrics.\u00a0 Lehigh Valley Hospital\u2013Cedar Crest is ranked as the region\u2019s No. 1 hospital for 10 straight years and has been recognized among Pennsylvania\u2019s top 10 hospitals for 10 consecutive years and nationally ranked for Orthopedics in 2023 by U.S. News & World Report. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)\u2013Cedar Crest,\u00a0LVH\u201317th Street<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0LVH\u2013Muhlenberg<\/a>\u00a0are the Lehigh Valley\u2019s only\u00a0Magnet\u00ae<\/a>\u00a0hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting\u00a0LVHN.org<\/a>\u00a0or following us on\u00a0Facebook,<\/a>\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pottsville, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2023) \u2013 Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)\u2013Schuylkill has been approved by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) Board of Directors as a Level IV Trauma Center effective … Continue reading Lehigh Valley Hospital\u2013Schuylkill Accredited as a Level IV Trauma Center<\/span>
\nBrian Downs
\nPublic Information Officer
\nMarketing and Public Affairs
\nLehigh Valley Health Network
\nLVHN.org<\/p>\n
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