Hospital re-designated Basic Level Trauma Center

McCook, Neb. —Community Hospital was recently re-designated as a Basic Level Trauma Center as part of the Nebraska Statewide Trauma System, according to Julie Willhelmson, RN BSN, Community Hospital Director of Emergency and Mother/Baby Services.

“This is another example of Community Hospital's commitment to excellence. We are proud of our staff and medical staff's commitment to provide quality care and this high level of trauma care to our region,” said Brad Langdorf, RN, BSN, Community Hospital Vice President Patient Care Services & CNO.

The Statewide Trauma System is designed to standardize and systemize trauma care for patients across the state from prevention to EMS, to emergency and acute care to rehab. “The goal of creating the system is for all basic level trauma centers in the state to provide the same high level and standards of care no matter where a patient receives treatment in Nebraska,” Wilhelmson said.

To achieve the re-designation, Community Hospital underwent a consultation visit. Every four years, a panel of state representatives including physicians and nurses visit a hospital to review its trauma program.

The program overview consists of reviewing hospital policies, pre-hospital elements, clinical capabilities, clinical qualifications, facility and resource capabilities, pediatric capabilities, radiology and laboratory services, performance improvement and prevention strategies.

Community Hospital is also required to provide certain types of equipment, lab capabilities and staff competencies, in addition to staff training in trauma care.

Medical providers are required to be certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support. Registered nurses working in the emergency room are certified in the Trauma Nurse Core Course, Wilhelmson said.

The trauma team at Community Hospital is multidisciplinary, and involves many departments within the hospital, as well as EMS. This core team includes Tammy Kolbet, RN, BSN, as trauma coordinator, Walter Eskildsen, M.D., general surgeon, as trauma medical director, Rick Klug, M.D., as EMS Director, Kathy Hock, RN as trauma registrar, Julie Wilhelmson, RN BSN, and Marc Harpham, NREMT-P, Fire Chief, City of McCook Fire Department, as well as many others.

With every trauma case that arrives at Community Hospital, data about that case is required to be submitted to the State of Nebraska.

The hospital was one of the first hospitals in the system to receive its initial certificate of designation in 2005.