Fort Worth Hospital Earns Level II Trauma Re-designation
Bustling Emergency Department cares for an average of 352 patients every day
FORT WORTH, Texas – December 18, 2017 — Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth has received notification from the state that the hospital has earned a Level II Trauma Re-designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the American College of Surgeons.
And given that the bustling Emergency Department cares for an average of 352 patients every day, hospital leaders say they are proud to continue to carry the title of trauma center.
“We are proud to serve Tarrant County and surrounding areas as a Level II trauma center,” said Lillie Biggins, R.N., FACHE, president of Texas Health Fort Worth. “When patients come through our doors, we stand ready to care for them. To us, this designation represents our commitment to the communities we serve.”
To receive a designation from the state of Texas, a hospital must first demonstrate its abilities to the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The first step is a one-year demonstration period. After compiling a year of clinical data, ACS surveys the facility and determines whether the hospital has the capabilities to serve its community.
In the state of Texas, trauma designations are Levels I through IV. Level I is the highest-level and IV the lowest. Level I and II centers provide the same level of care for trauma patients and have a full range of specialists and equipment available in-house 24 hours a day. These facilities are required to see patients within 15 minutes of arrival, according to the Texas EMS Trauma & Acute Care Foundation’s Trauma Activation Guidelines.
Level I facilities offer teaching and research, which is what differentiates them from Level II facilities.
Although Level III centers do not have the full availability of specialists as Level I or II, resources for emergency surgery and intensive care are available for most trauma patients. Surgeons and specialists are on-call and must respond within 30 minutes of a call.
In 2016, the Texas Health Fort Worth Emergency Department cared for just shy of 124,200 patients.
Texas Health Fort Worth is one of three Texas Health facilities that holds a Level II trauma designation. The other Level II facilities are Texas Health Dallas and Texas Health Plano. Texas Health HEB operates as a Level III trauma center.
About Texas Health Resources
Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health systems in the United States. The health system, which along with UT Southwestern founded Southwestern Health Resources in 2016 to make it easier for North Texans to access the highest quality care consistently in a responsive and coordinated manner, includes 29 hospital locations that are owned, operated, joint-ventured or affiliated with Texas Health Resources. It includes Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Texas Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Huguley Hospitals, Texas Health Physicians Group, outpatient facilities, behavioral health and home health, preventive and fitness services, and an organization for medical research and education.
For more information about Texas Health Resources, call 1-877-THR-WELL, or visit www.TexasHealth.org.
SOURCE: Texas Health