About Us

What is a Trauma Center?
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.

How many levels of trauma centers are there in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania there are three levels of trauma centers. Level I trauma centers require trauma research, a surgical residency program, and an annual volume of 600 major patients per year. A level II trauma center meets the same high level of care but does not require the research and residency components. 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.

Level I and II trauma centers can also be categorized as either Adult Trauma Centers or Pediatric Trauma Centers. On October 1, 2008 all trauma centers in Pennsylvania previously referred to as Adult Level I Trauma Centers with Additional Qualifications in Pediatric Trauma will be titled Adult Level I Centers and Pediatric Level II trauma centers.

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.

How do trauma centers differ from regular hospitals?
The major component that differentiates a regular hospital from one that is a trauma center is the requirement for 24 hour availability of a team of specially trained health care providers who have expertise in the care of severely injured patients. These providers include trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiac surgeons, radiologists and nurses. From a facility standpoint, there also needs to be 24 hour availability of a trauma resuscitation area in the Emergency Department, an operating room, laboratory testing, diagnostic testing, blood bank and pharmacy.

The most common causes of injury that bring patients to a trauma center are falls and motor vehicle crashes. These events cause life-threatening trauma in multiple areas of the body. Other common causes of injury include burns, gunshot wounds, and assaults.

Research shows that in states where there is a trauma system in place, the death rate is drastically reduced. A trauma system unlike a trauma center involves the use of many services including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Rehabilitation facilities, and trauma prevention organizations. From an EMS standpoint it is the job of Emergency Medical personnel to care for the patient at the scene of the injury and transport them quickly to a trauma center. After trauma center care is delivered, rehabilitation facilities provide care that allows the injured individual to return to work and family. Preventing traumatic injuries from occurring is the best prevention education anyone can provide. Moreover, research is needed to assure that the outcomes of care delivery are reducing death and disability among the people of the state.

Who accredits Trauma Centers in Pennsylvania?
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.

What process is required for being a trauma center?
A hospital interested in becoming a trauma center is required to inform the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) of their intent to pursue trauma accreditation a minimum of 2 years prior to the time of a site survey visit. At that time written materials are given to explain the many standards that need to be met. Over the next year, PTSF staff conducts educational visits with the interested center. Often the hospital will partner with another trauma center or an outside consultant to assist them in developing their trauma program to gain an understanding of what is needed to be a trauma center before PTSF is notified.

The formal application process involves submitting a document called an Application for Survey. Questions are asked regarding whether the hospital complies with the thirty-eight standards needed for trauma accreditation. These standards include commitment, physician and nursing education, personnel availability, presence of fully equipped and staffed departments including the ER, Radiology, OR, ICU, lab, and x-ray. Social services are needed to support the family’s emotional needs and an aggressive trauma care review process is required to assure trauma care is being delivered according to established standards of care.

PTSF also requires that a trauma center submit data on all trauma patients who are cared for at that facility to the PTSF statewide trauma database. This data provides a source of information that guides PTSF accreditation review activities and allows trauma research to be conducted.

Following submission of an Application for Survey, a Site Survey is conducted at the institution comprised of a team of experts who review care delivery. Factual information collected during this survey coupled with information from the application is then presented to the PTSF Board of Directors in a blinded fashion. If the Board votes that the institution complies with standards of accreditation the facility is accredited for one year and another survey is conducted the following year to assure that trauma care delivery has been optimal since the official accreditation and opening of the trauma center.

The site survey process is currently conducted every 3 years for those centers in good standing. If issues develop surveys can be conducted more frequently; this is determined on a case-by-case basis.