University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center Granted Provisional Adult Level III Trauma Center Status

ELYRIA, OH – Following an evaluation and recommendation by the American College of Surgeons, the State of Ohio has designated University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center as a provisional adult level III trauma center. Residents of Elyria and surrounding communities who experience injuries of mild to moderate acuity can now be treated close to home.

Trauma poses significant risk to loss of life or limb, or permanent disfigurement or disability. A level III trauma center must:

• Have continuous general surgical coverage
• Be capable of managing the initial care of the majority of injured patients
• Have transfer agreements with level I and level II trauma hospitals for patients who exceed its patient care resources
• Be involved in injury prevention and have an active outreach program for its referring communities
• Conduct education programs for nurses, physicians and allied health care workers involved with trauma

“As a provisional adult level III trauma center, we follow evidence-based policies and procedures in caring for our patients,” said Danelle Boomer, BSN, RN, Trauma Program Manager, UH Elyria Medical Center. “Our staff members have all received trauma-specific education, and care is provided using a team-based approach, based on the patient’s needs. We believe that this collaboration gives our patients the best chance of recovering back to the life they had prior to injury.”

Four trauma-trained surgeons are on-staff at UH Elyria Medical Center, including Joanna Kristine Brown, MD, FACS, Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery and Trauma Medical Director.

“UH Elyria Medical Center’s nearly 112-year history is grounded in providing trauma care for the community after a tragic streetcar accident in 1907 galvanized its creation,” said Dr. Brown. “We are pleased to carry forward this tradition in elevating the care of trauma patients. With this provisional designation, we are able to optimize care of the injured patient at every step. I could not be prouder of the way in which our physicians, nurses and technicians have come together to deliver such high-quality and compassionate care to the people of this community.”

Patients who present to UH Elyria Medical Center’s emergency department and require higher-acuity trauma care will be stabilized and transferred to a nearby trauma center. UH Elyria is part of a regional trauma network that includes the level I adult and pediatric trauma centers at UH Cleveland Medical Center and UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospitals, respectively.

UH Elyria Medical Center’s emergency department will undergo a final review in Sept. 2020 to become a fully-recognized level III trauma center.

The emergency department at UH Elyria Medical Center is certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center, and by the American College of Cardiology as an accredited Chest Pain Center. The freestanding emergency departments at UH Amherst and Avon health centers have been awarded Freestanding Emergency Department Cardiac Care Certification from the American College of Cardiology. Facilities that have earned this certification have proven exceptional competency in ensuring that patients experiencing acute signs and symptoms of heart attack, atrial fibrillation or heart disease receive the same expert care as those who enter the emergency department of an established hospital.