St. Vincent Regional Hospital Verified as Level I Trauma Center by American College of Surgeons
19 Abril 2024 - 10:48AM
Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital is proud to
announce its official verification as a Level I Trauma Center by
the American College of Surgeons (ACS), marking a significant
milestone in the hospital's commitment to providing top-tier
emergency medical care to the community.
“For the past 125 years, St. Vincent has stood as a beacon of
trust and expertise in providing lifesaving care,” said Lee Boyles,
president of St. Vincent Regional Hospital and the Montana |
Wyoming Market for Intermountain Health. “Verification as a Level I
Trauma Center is the culmination of the extensive and tireless work
of our caregivers in Billings and across Intermountain Health to
ensure St. Vincent Regional Hospital continues to be our region’s
most trusted trauma center.”
The Level I Trauma Center verification is the highest level of
trauma care recognition bestowed by the ACS, signifying St.
Vincent’s capability to deliver comprehensive care to the most
critically injured patients around the clock, every day of the
year. In achieving this accomplishment, St. Vincent demonstrated
its ability to provide high-level trauma care to address the needs
of all traumatic injuries, in addition to providing resources for
education, injury prevention, and research.
“We have worked diligently to meet the stringent criteria set
forth by the ACS for Level I Trauma Centers. From initial
resuscitation and emergency surgery to intensive care and
rehabilitation, St. Vincent is equipped to provide the full
spectrum of trauma care," said Dr. Barry McKenzie, trauma medical
director at St. Vincent. "This verification reflects our ability to
provide rapid, expert care to trauma patients, ensuring the best
possible outcomes for those facing life-threatening
injuries."
By providing this high-level of definitive care in Montana,
fewer traumatically injured patients will need to be transferred
out of state for care, allowing them to heal closer to home.
“Ensuring our patients who live in Montana and Wyoming —
especially those in rural areas — have access to the most critical
care they need when they need it most is core to our mission, and
why we are committed to continuously elevating and expanding our
lifesaving emergency and trauma services,” said Heather Stamey,
senior director of emergency and critical care at St. Vincent.
“This Level I verification not only demonstrates our capacity to
treat trauma patients close to home but also underscores our
commitment to preventing traumatic injuries through community
outreach and education programs.”
St. Vincent’s journey to becoming a Level I Trauma Center began
in August 2022, when the hospital submitted its application to
elevate its trauma center verification from Level II to Level I
with the ACS. The hospital’s review year took place from November
2022 through October 2023, and they hosted their site review visit
in February of this year. During the ACS’s objective, external
review of the hospital’s capability and performance, the peer
review team highlighted St. Vincent’s physician leadership, injury
prevention and outreach program, and participation in improving our
state and regional trauma system.
Qualifications of a Level I Trauma Center verification through
the ACS include:
- Surgical residency program
- Caring for a minimum of 1,200 trauma patients each year
- 24/7 in-house coverage
- Specialists in neurosurgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery and
other disciplines
- Well-trained nurses and physicians who have experience in
trauma care
- Surgery and anesthesia at a moment's notice
- Trauma research
- Trauma training and injury prevention education
- Comprehensive care for critically injured patients, from
prevention through rehabilitation
St. Vincent is one of two hospitals in Montana and one of two
hospitals in the Intermountain Health system to achieve Level I
Trauma Center verification from the ACS.
- Intermountain St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Montana
Receives Trauma Level 1 Designation
Mike Paquette
Intermountain Health
801-385-275-8245
intermountainnews@imail.org