Hasbro designated Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by ACS.

PROVIDENCE – Hasbro Children’s Hospital, the pediatric division of Rhode Island Hospital, has been designated a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This is the first time the hospital has been verified specifically for the care of injured children. Rhode Island Hospital has been a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center for more than 20 years, and has been reverified. Hasbro Children’s Hospital had previously been included as a “pediatric commitment” in the Rhode Island Hospital Level 1 Trauma Center certification, but is now eligible to apply for standalone Level 1 status under the new ACS guidelines. The two hospitals are the only Level 1 Trauma Centers in Rhode Island. This three-year certification is the highest designation a trauma center can receive, and recognizes the hospital’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. Level 1 trauma centers provide a full range of services, including designation as an academic medical center, conducting research and providing medical education. “This certification is a validation of the fully coordinated, multidisciplinary care we have been providing to injured children since Hasbro Children’s Hospital opened its doors 20 years ago,” said FRANCOIS LUKS, MD, director of pediatric trauma. “It is the first time that we have sought – and obtained – independent verification for the care we provide to injured children, and that is a recognition of how comprehensive our pediatric trauma care has become.” To qualify as a Level I trauma center, a hospital must be fully prepared to treat victims of traumatic injuries – from falls, car crashes, gunshots, assaults, etc. – and offer the highest level of medical and surgical care, with surgeons and anesthesiologists on duty 24 hours a day. Level 1 trauma centers must have a wide range of specialists, such as orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons, promptly available if needed, and be involved in education and efforts to prevent traumatic injuries in the community. Dr. Luks added that the designation means the hospital has to be ready for anything. “Being a Level 1 Trauma Center means that whoever comes through our doors, regardless of the type of injury, we are prepared to offer the entire spectrum of care,” he said. “This means more than just initial life-saving efforts, ready and available at a moment’s notice, but also everything a patient needs throughout the entirety of his or her healing process.” To be verified as a trauma center, Hasbro Children’s Hospital underwent an on-site review earlier this year under the guidelines established by the ACS. The criteria the hospital must meet and maintain include: