The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment found zero deficiencies during a recent survey of the Level III Trauma program at Memorial Hospital North, granting the program official accreditation to continue accepting trauma patients from emergency medical service crews and providing lifesaving care for residents of northern El Paso County.
MHN received provisional Level III Trauma status a year ago. The state survey completed Dec. 6, 2016 removes the “provisional’’ status and grants official accreditation, according to Tamera Dunseth-Rosenbaum, associate chief nursing officer for MHN.
Level III Trauma accreditation for the MHN Emergency Department is one of the ways that MHN is maturing as a hospital. In recent months, a new cardiac catheterization lab has been built, along with a new radiation oncology building. The hospital has experienced significant growth in patient visits in recent months.
Dunseth-Rosenbaum said that having a survey with zero deficiencies “speaks to the diligence of our trauma team and the multi-disciplinary approach that we have in taking care of trauma patients. It speaks to our rigor around peer review, chart review and real-time feedback to our providers as well as our nursing staff and our technical staff.’’
Dunseth-Rosenbaum said she is grateful for the leadership of Dr. Keyan Riley, medical director for the trauma program; Carolle Anne Banville, director of trauma services; Elizabeth Spradlin, MHN’s trauma program manager; and the entire trauma team.
Four state surveyors – two physicians and two nurses – spent a day at MHN asking questions about how the hospital educates the EMS community about capabilities at the hospital, and how paramedics and EMTs are integrated into the care provided in the field.
The surveyors also conducted a tour of MHN and reviewed patient charts and policies and procedures before awarding MHN official Level III trauma accreditation.
A Level III trauma center demonstrates the ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, stabilization of injured patients and high-quality emergency operations. In Colorado Springs, it represents UCHealth’s commitment to providing advanced patient care close to home.
The hospital has added providers, emergency services and delivered additional training to staff to meet and exceed the Level III trauma center requirements.
Joe Foecking, director of rehabilitation services at Memorial, participated in the survey and said that the team had done its homework in getting ready for the state’s visit.
“It speaks to the level of preparedness and the ability to confidently answer any questions regarding Level III,’’ Foecking said.
Dunseth-Rosenbaum said the accreditation is another step in the advancement of care at MHN.
“Patients are receiving a higher level of care and MHN gives the people who live in northern El Paso County and southern Douglas County peace of mind in knowing that we are elevating the level of care at the North campus,’’ she said. “We don’t just do simple orthopedic surgeries and deliver babies. We really are becoming much more comprehensive in the care that we provide.’’
Earlier this fall, UCHealth broke ground on an $80 million expansion of MHN to provide enhanced mother-baby and oncology care.