Dianne Mandernach, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health, today officially approved Fairview Southdale Hospital’s application to become the first Level III Trauma Center in the Twin Cities. Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin also received the status.

Yearly, trauma — or serious injury — claims the lives of more than 2,500 people in Minnesota. Trauma is the leading causing of death for Minnesotans between the ages of 1 and 44 and the third leading cause of death for all age groups. But up until now, the state was home to only a handful of Level I and Level II trauma centers that handle the most serious cases, such as gunshot wounds, major burns and severe head trauma. The time between serious injury and receiving surgical care is the most important predictor of survival. This is called the “golden hour.” As the golden hour winds down, so do the chances of survival.

“We recognized a gap in trauma care in the Southwest Metro area. Part of our mission is to provide life-saving care to the communities we serve,” said Bradley Pierce, M.D., Fairview Southdale Hospital trauma medical director. “By becoming a Level III trauma hospital and integrating our services with the already exceptional Level I trauma centers in the metro, we can help extend the golden hour for patients and increase their chances for survival.”

 “These are the first two hospitals to receive trauma center designation under our new statewide trauma system,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dianne Mandernach. “As we continue adding hospitals to this system, we will get closer to our goal of ensuring that seriously injured Minnesotans—in any part of the state—will be promptly transported to and treated at facilities with resources to care for their injuries.”

By becoming a Level III Trauma Center, Fairview Southdale Hospital has enhanced its capabilities to rapidly assess and treat patients who have suffered a traumatic or serious injury. In doing so, Fairview Southdale Hospital has become part of a new statewide trauma system that designates hospitals on one of four levels and is designed to help reduce the number of trauma related deaths by providing a higher level of care, closer to home.

“When the Minnesota Legislature passed the trauma criteria in early 2005, we knew we wanted to immediately become a level III trauma center, to be able to provide a higher level of care for our community,” said Brad Beard, president of Fairview Southdale Hospital. “With our expertise in surgery, neurology, orthopedics and emergency services, this was a natural for us.”

Trauma comes in many forms and is defined as a sudden, unexpected injury. A fall from a ladder, broken ankle in a basketball game at the gym or injuries sustained in a vehicle accident all constitute types of trauma that can be assessed and treated at a level III trauma center. In order to qualify, Fairview Southdale Hospital underwent a year-and-a-half long process to develop a program that focuses on the care of trauma patients. This process included specialty trauma training for hospital staff, hiring a trauma medical director, and seeking qualified neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons to specifically care for trauma patients.

“Becoming a Level III Trauma Center is a serious commitment to the communities we serve,” said Brad Williams, M.D., emergency room physician. “Not only are we dedicated to quickly assessing and treating patients who have suffered a serious injury, we also have an obligation to help teach and promote safe practices to our constituents. This is something we are very proud of.”

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