The Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services has recertified Tomah Health as a level IV trauma care facility.
Originally certified in 2009 as a Level IV facility, Tomah Health provides stabilization and advanced trauma life support in the event a patient needs to be transferred to a Level I or II Trauma Care facility under the statewide trauma care system.
“It should make the public feel confident that if they or their family members need to come to our facility after a traumatic injury that our staff is well prepared and highly trained to care for them,” Tomah Health Emergency Services director Suzanne Downing, DNP, RN said of the new three- year certification.
The certification was the result of an Aug. 3 visit to Tomah Health by Dept. of Health officials.
Downing said the certification is also satisfying in light of record patient numbers in the hospital’s emergency department over the past several months. “Despite record numbers of patients being cared for in our Emergency Department, our staff has been outstanding in the critical care provided during a really stressful time,” Downing said.
She attributed the patient volume to a number of factors including the ongoing COVID pandemic delays in health care maintenance coupled with access issues and people seeking treatment for a variety of injuries and illnesses.
According to the DHS Trauma Care System website, Wisconsin has 124 of 126 potential hospitals participating in its trauma system, with 9% of them being American College of Surgeons verified Level I or II and the remaining 91% being a Level III or IV trauma care facility designated by the state. Participation in the state designation program is voluntary, and it plays a significant role in reducing death and disability resulting from traumatic injury by providing a comprehensive and integrated system of care to trauma patients and their families.
Downing said that without the statewide trauma care system, care could vary greatly among similarly sized facilities throughout Wisconsin. “Our staff continually strives to provide high quality care during traumatic situations. This recertification validates our efforts,” Downing added.
Wisconsin’s trauma system is closely aligned with the efforts and activities in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program, Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program and Health Preparedness.
To learn more about emergency services at Tomah Health, CLICK HERE