Newsworthy

Stormont Vail Health has again been verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons. This achievement recognizes the Trauma Center’s dedication to providing optimal care for critically injured patients and is the gold standard for trauma care. This verification will last through April 14, 2025.

Stormont Vail first achieved Level II verification in 2009, after the completion of the Emergency & Trauma Center. Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka is one of only two Level II centers in Kansas and the only one located in Topeka and the northeast Kansas region.

“Continuing our status as a verified Level II Trauma Center demonstrates Stormont Vail Health’s commitment to providing the highest standard of care for our community,” said Brinton Baker, MPAS, PA-C, Administrative Director of Surgical Services. “This achievement highlights the tremendous efforts of many individuals and teams across the organization that deliver exceptional trauma care closer to home.”

Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual. Among the many requirements necessary for Level II status is a Trauma Response Team composed of: board certified general/trauma surgeons and emergency medicine physicians; trauma advanced practice providers; ED nurses; critical care nurses; rapid response nurses; OR nurses; anesthesia staff; respiratory therapy; pharmacists; lab; blood bank; social work; security; radiology techs; and chaplain services.

Verification also requires a trauma support staff, which performs trauma performance improvement analysis, maintains the trauma registry, and conducts educational outreach to the community.

“This reverification is a testament to the dedication, effort, and hard work that our team provides for injured patients,” said Dr. Wael Khreiss, Stormont Vail surgeon and Trauma Medical Director. “This also shows how we care for Topeka, Shawnee County, and surrounding communities with educational outreach efforts such as Stop the Bleed, seatbelt and driver safety prevention campaigns. I cannot be more proud to be part of this team and the effort that everyone at Stormont Vail puts in to save lives on a daily basis.”