Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2021

Care you can count on Learn more about our emergency services, providers and trauma center designations at KH.org/emergency-care . completed a fellowship with the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, one of the largest and most esteemed trauma centers in the country. Before that, he attended Emory University School of Medicine and completed his residency with the Naval Medical Center. So he’s well-qualified to take care of whatever trauma need arises. What thismeans for patients “It starts with our ability to rapidly triage people during what we call ‘the golden hour of trauma care,’” Dr. Staeheli said. “The first hour is the critical time where you can intervene and save someone’s life.” Orthopedic interventions that can be treated urgently now include injuries from ankle fractures to life-threatening femoral and hip fractures. “In orthopedic trauma, you want to be the master of every type of fracture,” Dr. Staeheli said. “Our area’s outdoor lifestyle comes with a variety of case complexity. From young, active folks who are mountain biking, skiing…some of these injuries can be life-altering.” Some cases require what’s called “early total care,” or the effort to fix and/or stabilize every fracture or injury within a short window, usually 24 to 48 hours, in order to reduce complications. Ashley Miller, BSN, RN, the trauma program manager for Kootenai Health, said having Dr. Staeheli on staff substantially expands the ability to provide urgent surgical interventions and consistent in- house care moving forward. “The ability to come to Kootenai and be stabilized immediately and then receive definitive care here allows patients and families to remain together,” Miller said. “In most cases, patients no longer need to travel to Spokane or Seattle for that care.” Having a traumatologist immediately available saves lives, according to Dershi Bussey, BSN, the director of emergency department and trauma services for Kootenai Health. “It is important to treat patients waiting for surgery quickly to reduce their risk of complications,” Bussey said. “With Dr. Staeheli on our team, we can get to patients sooner because he sees all types of patients.” Filling a need There is also a definitive need for advanced trauma response in the Inland Northwest. About 60 percent of Kootenai Health’s trauma patients have orthopedic injuries, and 78 percent of those patients require surgery to repair their injury. Trauma surgeries increased last year, despite COVID-19, Bussey said, as more people engaged in outdoor physical activities. In 2021, Bussey said the rate continues to climb. Whatever the cause of trauma injuries, Kootenai Health is in a better position to serve patients with Dr. Staeheli on staff. “We can now treat everything from a ground-level fall to a patient who has multiple-system trauma related to a car accident. We are also a referral facility for outlying hospitals, like in Shoshone and Benewah counties,” Miller said. The continued advancement of trauma and emergency services in-house helps too. “It increases our standardization of care, reduces the likelihood of complications and helps decrease the length of stays for our patients,” Bussey said. “Dr. Staeheli, being fellowship-trained, also brings that knowledge and experience to the facility, and it elevates the overall care.” Kootenai Health is already a Level III Trauma Center, as certified by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) Committee on Trauma, and a Level II Trauma Center, as certified by the State of Idaho Time-Sensitive Emergency System. Miller said hiring Dr. Staeheli as an orthopedic traumatologist is a big step toward Kootenai Health’s pursuit of improving to an ACoS Level II Trauma Center, providing even better care for our community. Greg Staeheli, M.D. Dershi Bussey, BSN Ashley Miller, BSN, RN KH . ORG 17