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Asante wins Level II trauma status Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune A patient is wheeled through the Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center emergency room on Friday. Monday Apr 30, 2018 at 2:01 AM Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune @VickieAldous Fewer seriously injured patients will have to be transported out of the area for medical care, thanks to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center’s new designation as a Level II trauma center. After years of work, Asante announced this month that its Medford hospital was upgraded from Level III status to Level II by the Oregon Health Authority. Trauma facilities are categorized as Level I, II, III or IV, with Level I and II centers offering the highest level of care, according to OHA. Oregon Health & Science University and Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland are the state’s only Level I trauma centers, according to OHA. Both have children’s hospitals, and Legacy operates the Legacy Oregon Burn Center for adults and children with serious burn injuries. With RRMC at Level II status, people in Southern Oregon and Northern California who need emergency treatment after being seriously injured and those stricken with sudden life-threatening conditions now have a better chance of being treated close to home, Asante officials said. “This new designation will have a major impact on our patients,” said Dr. Mark Eaton, trauma medical director at the hospital. “With trauma, every second counts when people need to be seen by a doctor to help them survive. Having Level II status in Medford means fewer time-consuming transfers for the patient.” Traumatic injuries can result from events such as falls, car crashes, gun shots, stabbings, assaults, burns, near-drownings and sports injuries, Asante officials said. Eaton said patients with certain types of pelvic fractures will see the most benefit. Those patients were transferred north to specialists on an almost weekly basis. But he said all trauma patients will benefit because of the improved teamwork and communication among medical providers. “The whole trauma program is more cohesive,” Eaton said. He noted traumatic injuries often impact many areas of the body, requiring the teamwork of specialists who include neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, opthamologists to care for eyes, plastic surgeons, pediatric specialists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons to treat face, jaw and neck injuries. “It’s much better for patients when their treatment stays local,” Eaton said. Being treated locally for trauma also means patients are better able to develop relationships with local medical providers for follow-up care, said Jackie DeSilva, trauma program manager for Rogue Regional Medical Center. Family members and the rest of a patient’s support system also can avoid stays and trips out of the area, she said. The Level II designation benefits not only Rogue Valley residents, but patients from outlying counties who don’t have to travel as far, DeSilva said. “It has really regionalized trauma care for Southern Oregon and parts of Northern California,” she said. To achieve the designation, the hospital had to undergo an extensive review process and have a number of health care professionals who are trained and experienced in trauma care, Asante officials said. It also must have a surgery team, trauma-trained nurses and an anesthesiologist available at all times, officials said. RRMC has been functioning at nearly Level II status for years to demonstrate its proficiency to the state, Eaton said. DeSilva said children who need specialized pediatric surgery that requires them to be on a ventilator are still likely to be transported out of the area for care. Eaton said local neurosurgeons can do emergency surgery on children with bad head injuries, but the children are transferred for post-operative care. “Pediatric neurosurgery is a specialty and there are very few pediatric neurosurgeons,” he said. Patients with severe burns will also continue to be transferred out, Eaton said. “Burn care is so dependent on a whole burn program,” he said. Serious burn injuries are complex because they can lead to problems with breathing, circulation, dehydration and infection, according to the Legacy Oregon Burn Center. The burn center’s team includes surgeons and other doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, a psychologist, a dietitian and after-care support staff. Doug Stewart, chief executive officer of Medford-based Mercy Flights, said some patients will continue to be flown out of the area for medical care, but the Level II designation will allow more patients to be treated locally. Mercy Flights operates both a ground ambulance service and medical flights using airplanes and helicopters. Other hospitals with a Level II Trauma Center designation in the state are Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, Salem Health Hospital, St. Charles Medical Center in Bend and Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, according to OHA. Providence Medford Medical Center, Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls and Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg are among nine Level III hospitals in the state that can provide comprehensive services for severely injured patients who don’t need specialized care, according to OHA. Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass is among approximately two dozen Level IV hospitals in Oregon, according to OHA. Level IV hospitals can provide resuscitation and stabilization of severely injured patients prior to transferring them to a hospital with a higher trauma level designation. Medical care at Level IV hospitals can include surgery and life-saving procedures for those with severe trauma, according to OHA. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected]. Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous.