Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation Trauma Center Accreditation Status for Level I, II and III Trauma Centers

MECHANICSBURG, Pa., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Effective January 31, 2012 there are 30 hospitals that are accredited trauma centers in Pennsylvania. Three of these hospitals have dual adult and pediatric accreditation.

Adult Level I Trauma Centers

1.     Allentown – Lehigh Valley Hospital (dual accreditation)

2.     Bethlehem - St. Luke's Hospital

3.     Danville – Geisinger Medical Center (dual accreditation)

4.     Hershey - The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (dual accreditation)

5.     Johnstown - Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center

6.     Philadelphia - Albert Einstein Medical Center

7.     Philadelphia - Hahnemann University Hospital

8.     Philadelphia – Temple University Hospital

9.     Philadelphia - Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

10.   Philadelphia - The University of Pennsylvania Health System, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center

11.   Pittsburgh - Allegheny General Hospital

12.   Pittsburgh - The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Mercy

13.   Pittsburgh - The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Presbyterian

14.   York - York Hospital

Adult Level II Trauma Centers

1.     Abington - Abington Memorial Hospital

2.     Altoona - Altoona Hospital

3.     Erie - Hamot Medical Center

4.     Lancaster - Lancaster General Hospital

5.     Langhorne - St. Mary Medical Center

6.     Paoli – Paoli Hospital

7.     Philadelphia – Aria Health - Torresdale Campus

8.     Reading - The Reading Hospital and Medical Center

9.     Sayre - Robert Packer Hospital

10.   Scranton - Community Medical Center

11.   Upland - Crozer-Chester Medical Center

12.   Wilkes Barre – Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center

Pediatric Level I Trauma Centers

1.     Hershey - The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (dual accreditation)

2.     Philadelphia - St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

3.     Philadelphia - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

4.     Pittsburgh - The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pediatric Level II Trauma Centers

1.     Allentown - Lehigh Valley Hospital (dual accreditation)

2.     Danville - Geisinger Medical Center  (dual accreditation)

Level III Trauma Centers

1.     East Stroudsburg - Pocono Medical Center 

The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) is a non-profit corporation recognized by the Emergency Medical Services Act (Act 1985-45).  The PTSF is the organization responsible for accrediting trauma centers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It has been reviewing and surveying applicant hospitals since May of 1986.   

Trauma centers are hospitals with resources immediately available to provide efficient surgical intervention to reduce the likelihood of death or permanent disability to injured patients.  Accredited trauma centers must be continuously prepared to treat the most serious life threatening and disabling injuries.  They are not intended to replace the traditional hospital and its emergency department for minor injuries. 

Trauma Centers are currently accredited at three different levels. Level I adult trauma centers require trauma research, a surgical residency program, and an annual volume of 600 major patients per year.  A level II adult trauma center meets the same high level of care but does not require the research and residency components, and volume requirements are 350 major trauma patients per year.  Level III trauma centers are smaller community hospitals which do not require a minimum volume of trauma patients.  Their focus is to stabilize severe trauma in preparation for transport to a higher level trauma center as well as care for patients with moderate trauma.  They do not need neurosurgical resources.   In addition to Adult level I and II trauma centers there are also Pediatric level I and level II Trauma Centers. Standards of accreditation for Level IV trauma centers were also approved March 2011.  For more information go to www.ptsf.org    

Each trauma center regardless of its level is an integral component of the emergency medical services system.  The EMS system assures appropriate patient care management from the time of injury to treatment at a local hospital and/or trauma center and through the rehabilitative phase of care.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation