Trauma Center accreditation has been granted to an additional Critical Access Hospital, Conemaugh Miners Medical Center, in Hastings, effective January 1, 2021. An elevation in Trauma Center Level has been granted immediately to Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health–Lancaster General Hospital, in Lancaster. A comprehensive list of the Commonwealth’s trauma centers is located at www.ptsf.org.
Effective January 1, 2021, this brings the total number of trauma centers in Pennsylvania to 42.
Trauma centers are hospitals with 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. They are not intended to replace the traditional hospital and its emergency department for minor injuries.
In Pennsylvania, there 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 require the same high level of care but do not require research and residency programs. 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.
Each trauma center regardless of its level is an integral component of the emergency medical services (EMS) system. The 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.
The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (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.
Contact: Juliet Altenburg, MSN, RN, Executive Director, 717-697-5512, jaltenburg@ptsf.org