Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2017

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By Andrea Nagel
Kootenai Health has been desig-
nated a level II Trauma Center by
the Idaho Time Sensitive Emergency
System. Every year, hundreds of
people seek care at Kootenai
Health’s emergency department.
Trauma center designation offers im-
portant reassurance to patients that
they are receiving excellent care.
To receive designation, Kootenai
Health had to verify that it has the
hospital resources needed for trauma
care and to be able to provide the
entire spectrum of care to meet all
of an injured patient’s needs. In
addition, Kootenai remains a Level
III Trauma Center verified by the
American College of Surgeons, a
national designation.
“Level II designation is a great
accomplishment that Kootenai
Health would not have been able to
achieve without the support and col-
laboration of Kootenai County EMS,
the Idaho Time Sensitive Emergency
System, surgeons, specialty sur-
geons and emergency physicians,”
said Dershi Bussey, trauma program
manager. “Obtaining our level II
designation is not the end of our
journey, but the continuation of
superior quality trauma care.”
Reviewers evaluated every phase
of patient care at Kootenai, includ-
ing how patients are handled before
they reach the hospital and after
Better
Care for
Trauma
Patients
B E P R E P A R E D
To learn more about
trauma and emergency
care at Kootenai Health, visit
.
A STELLAR TEAM: From left, Jennifer Rennison, Kootenai Health trauma registrar;
Chris Way, Kootenai County EMS chief; Dershi Bussey, Kootenai Health trauma
program manager; and Luke Emerson, Kootenai Health trauma clinical navigator
they move on to rehabilitation.
“Having trauma designation
shows that we’re continually raising
the level of care for trauma pa-
tients,” said Todd Putren, executive
director of Critical Care and Emer-
gency Services. “Until this year,
we didn’t have a state designation
to apply for, so we were verified
through the national program.”
Trauma verification is not manda-
tory; rather, it is a voluntary process
that helps providers evaluate and
improve trauma care in the commu-
nities they serve. Nurses, emergency
physicians, surgeons and other staff
members all volunteered to take
extra seminars, classes and certifica-
tions to help make this a reality.
“It fits perfectly with our vision to
be the regional medical center for
our area,” Todd said. “It gives our
patients peace of mind that they
will receive the best care possible
with the best possible outcomes, all
while staying close to home.”
Elements of level II trauma
centers include:
◗
◗ A comprehensive quality
assessment program
◗ ◗ 24-hour immediate coverage by
emergency medicine physicians
and the prompt availability
of general surgeons and
anesthesiologists
◗
◗ Transfer agreements for patients
requiring more comprehensive
care at a level I trauma center
◗ ◗ Back-up care for rural and com-
munity hospitals
◗
◗ Continuing education for nursing
staff, allied health personnel and
the trauma team
◗ ◗ Prevention efforts, including an
active outreach program for refer-
ring communities
“We’re proud to be the only
level II trauma center in northern
Idaho,” Todd said. “It’s great to get
recognition for our quality of care
and hard work.”
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