Cedars-Sinai Again Named Level I Trauma Center
Since 1984, American College of Surgeons has Designated Cedars-Sinai as Providing Highest Level of Trauma Care
The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Trauma Program has again received designation as a Level I Trauma Center―the highest level―from the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma. The Level I designation, evaluated every three years, recognizes Cedars-Sinai for providing the highest-quality trauma care for every aspect of injury, from prevention to rehabilitation. Cedars-Sinai first received Level I Trauma Center status in 1984 and is one of only four Level I adult trauma centers in Los Angeles County.
“This recognition demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing superior treatment and care for injured patients―care that can sometimes mean the difference between life and death,” said Daniel Margulies, MD, director of Trauma-Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care at Cedars-Sinai. “Collaboration, teamwork, and a world-class facility offering the most advanced clinical and technical expertise around the clock are all components of an outstanding and reputable hospital that our community can always count on, especially in the event of serious injuries.”
More than 250 medical specialties comprise Cedars-Sinai’s Trauma Center, where the most extreme injuries, including those that require complex surgical intervention, can be treated. Trauma Department professionals also provide public education regarding injury prevention and continuing medical education for trauma nurses and physicians.
Although the immediate focus of the Cedars-Sinai Trauma Center is on patient care, the team also conducts important research on patient outcomes after severe injuries and the basic science involved in trauma care.
“Being designated a Level I Trauma Center was one of the initial steps in building the kind of organization that is ultimately reflected in our advanced clinical and academic capacity today,” said Cedars-Sinai President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Priselac, who was on the administrative team that worked to establish the Trauma Program at Cedars-Sinai more than 30 years ago. “This most recent review again confirms what we know to be true―that we have an incredibly talented trauma team that has served the community with distinction for decades.
“Working under very urgent time frames, they work together seamlessly. Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, surgical techs, imaging specialists, pharmacists, social workers and many others all play crucial roles in caring for our trauma patients during their stays at Cedars-Sinai, Priselac said. “When combined with the expertise and compassion of all our staff and volunteers, you see the important role Cedars-Sinai serves in caring for and strengthening the many communities of Los Angeles.”
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Scalpel vs. Bullet―Expert Perspectives on Gun Trauma