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Last updated on Thursday, May 25, 2017
(BLOOMINGTON) - A large banner hangs from the parking garage of the IU Health Bloomington Hospital proclaiming the hospital’s most recent verification victory.
Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital has been verified by the American College of Surgeon's Committee on Trauma, as a Level III Trauma facility, meaning better outcomes for severely injured patients.
Highly-skilled experts at the Bloomington Hospital applaud the success. Jason Kennard, Trauma Medical Director, says the achievement is something to celebrate, noting that trauma centers are scarce in the Hoosier state.
"The American College of Surgeons has gone about dedicating trauma centers for a long period of time now. There's a shortage of trauma centers in the state of Indiana. In fact, there really is no other trauma center in our region. The closest is Indianapolis," he says. The verification stands through Jan. 13 of 2020.
In earning the title, IU Health and the Bloomington Hospital Foundation supported the effort with more than $300,000 in equipment, which includes bedside ultrasound, portable X-rays with a viewing screen, a bladder scanner and enhanced patient monitoring equipment, among other enhancements.
Lindsey Williams, who joined IU Health in 2007 and is now IU Health Bloomington Trauma Program Manager, says there is a commitment by the staff, too.
"We have a 30-minute trauma response time and when you are injured, we activate a trauma surgeon to be at your bedside within 30 minutes," Williams says. "Becoming a verified trauma center brings with it additional quality benchmarks and oversight to make sure we are doing the best job possible in caring for our injured."
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