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When did Paoli become a trauma center?
Paoli opened as a Level II trauma center on October 1, 2010.
What is a trauma center?
Trauma centers are hospitals with resources immediately available to
provide efficient emergency medical services and surgical intervention
for life threatening injuries. They are not intended to replace the
traditional hospital and its emergency department for minor injuries.
Paoli’s emergency department will continue to care for non-traumatic
illness and injury.
What is a Level II trauma center?
In Pennsylvania there are three levels of trauma centers. Level I trauma
centers have all the resources required to care for trauma patients, as
well as provide trauma research, a surgical residency program, and an
annual volume of 600 patients per year. A level II trauma center must
have the same resources in place, but does not require the research and
residency components. Volume requirements are 350 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.
Will Paoli have a helicopter?
We will not have a helicopter on-site, but will continue to utilize our
hospital’s helipad to receive trauma patients from local helicopter
services. Currently more than 600 patients each year are flown to trauma
centers from Chester County.
Who will serve as the Paoli Hospital trauma physicians?
Trauma surgeons from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital will be
providing trauma care at Paoli. These surgeons are dual
board-certified in critical care medicine and general surgery, and will
be the attending physicians for admitted trauma patients.
Who will lead the trauma team?
Kris
Kaulback, M.D., is the Trauma Program Medical Director. Prior to
arriving at Paoli Hospital, he was the Associate Trauma Program Medical
Director at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he also remains
on staff.
Will Paoli have in-house physicians to care for trauma patients?
Paoli will have trauma attending physicians in-house 24 hours a day, as
well as an anesthesiologist, certified nurse anesthetist, emergency
physicians, and a fully staffed operating room. Additionally, we have up
to three internal medicine physicians overnight.
How do I contact someone from the program?
Kerry Larkin is the Trauma Program Manager. She can be reached at
484-565-8325, or e-mail at LarkinK@mlhs.org.
