Stony Brook Earns ACS Verification as Level 1 Trauma Center | Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Suffolk County's Only Adult and Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center

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<div class=caption><table width=360><tr><td>Suffolk County Police helicopter ambulance
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The <a href="https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/vrc">American College of Surgeons (ACS)</a> just formally verified <a href="https://trauma.stonybrookmedicine.edu" target="_blank">Stony Brook Trauma Center</a> as the highest-level trauma center for adults and children after a rigorous survey visit this past fall. This makes Stony Brook Suffolk County's only Adult and Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center.

Although Stony Brook already serves as a New York State-designated regional trauma center for adults and children, as well as a regional burn center, this additional verification required us to meet quality and safety standards set by the ACS.

It further establishes Stony Brook's place in the community as the highest-level trauma center, capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury — from prevention through rehabilitation for the most severely impacted patients.

<div class="callout">Meeting the high standards of care set forth by the ACS proves that we are prepared to care for the most injured and most vulnerable patients at all times.</div>

Led by our faculty members <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-james-a-vosswinkel">James A. Vosswinkel, MD</a>, chief of trauma, emergency surgery, and surgical critical care, and <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-richard-j-scriven">Richard J. Scriven, MD</a>, chief of pediatric surgery, all Stony Brook practitioners in the Trauma Center are committed, fully trained, and immediately available, providing timely care to patients when needed most.

The team is leading the way with research on the care of trauma patients and continues to shine with top quality scores as compared to more than 300 other trauma centers nationwide.

Stony Brook's participation in a national quality program provides evidence that patients who were seriously injured and then treated in our trauma center were less likely to die or to develop a major complication.

Life-threatening injuries, as a result of vehicular accidents, falls, or other trauma, are the leading cause of death for all Americans under age 45.

Comprehensive, excellent trauma care can save lives. Meeting the high standards of care set forth by the ACS proves that we are prepared to care for the most injured and most vulnerable patients at all times.

<div class="callout">What distinguishes a Level 1 Trauma Center has a lot to do with 24/7 access to in-house, board-certified, critical care specialists, and trauma surgeons.</div>

What distinguishes a Level 1 Trauma Center from other levels of trauma care? One key difference is having 24/7 access to in-house, board-certified, critical care specialists, and trauma surgeons.

Having this in-house expertise available around the clock means immediate treatment of all types of traumatic and complex injuries.

What's more, Stony Brook University Hospital has 20 operating rooms, plus CT scanners and MRI machines right in the Emergency Department, with ready access to blood products through its blood bank.

Another differentiating feature of Level 1 Trauma Centers is enhanced outreach and teaching programs. Stony Brook Trauma Center focuses on injury prevention by offering a number of special programs designed to keep community members safe.

These program include teddy bear clinics, senior falls prevention programs, traffic violator education programs, and courses that teach bleeding control for the injured.

We also provide sports safety clinics, teen driving Initiatives, Safe Kids “Safety Games,” parent information sessions, and more to organizations in the community — all free of charge.

During the verification process, the ACS evaluates whether a facility meets criteria put forth in its Committee on Trauma's manual, Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. Administered by the Verification, Review, and Consultation Program (VRC), the verification process is designed to help hospitals improve trauma care. After the completion of a pre-review questionnaire, the VRC visits the site and compiles a report of its findings. If successful, the trauma center receives a certificate of verification that is valid for three years. The ACS created its VRC Program in 1987, and today more than 400 trauma centers have achieved the ACS verification seal of approval.

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<a href="https://trauma.stonybrookmedicine.edu/">Learn more</a> about the Stony Brook Trauma Center and its many programs aimed at keeping the 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County safe and alive.