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Ascension St. John Medical Center is celebrating one year as Tulsa's first American College of Surgeons-verified Level I Trauma Center.
Hospital leaders say trauma activations have increased over the past year, highlighting the growing need for advanced trauma care across northeastern Oklahoma.
Dr. Rachel Tyler from the hospital joined News on 6 at noon to discuss the anniversary and what the hospital offers.
Why the designation matters
Dr. Rachel Tyler, a trauma surgeon at Ascension St. John Medical Center, said the Level I designation means patients have access to specialized care at any time, day or night.
"First, access to care," Dr. Tyler said. "We have 24/7, 365 days a year, multispecialty care that we can provide patients who come in with various forms of trauma."
She said the verification also reflects the hospital's commitment to meeting high national standards for trauma care.
"There are rigorous standards that look at our hospital's ability to provide quality care," Dr. Tyler said. "We keep improving the care of our patients."
She said those standards benefit more than just trauma patients.
"It not only affects trauma, it bleeds over into other disciplines at our hospital," Dr. Tyler said. "We really are providing this top level of care for trauma and for all of our specialties."
Comprehensive care from start to finish
Dr. Tyler said Level I trauma centers care for patients throughout every stage of treatment, from the emergency room through recovery.
"We take care of patients from the time they arrive at the hospital to the time they move on to rehabilitation," Dr. Tyler said. "We're providing comprehensive care."
She said trauma surgeons work alongside specialists to treat patients with a wide range of injuries.
Treating the region's most serious injuries
Ascension St. John treats patients injured in car crashes, motorcycle crashes, bicycle crashes, gunshot wounds and falls.
Dr. Tyler said some patients have a single injury, such as a broken bone, while others arrive with multiple life-threatening injuries.
"We also see really complex multi-organ, multi-system injuries," Dr. Tyler said. "Our multidisciplinary team is here to provide that high level of complex care for trauma patients."
The American College of Surgeons' Level I verification is the highest level of trauma center designation. It recognizes hospitals that provide comprehensive trauma care while meeting rigorous national standards for patient outcomes, education and continuous quality improvement.
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Ascension St. John announces Tulsa's only Level I Trauma Center
Ascension St. John becomes first Level 1 Trauma Center in northeast Oklahoma
