Newswise — The trauma center at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center has been verified as a Level 1 pediatric trauma center, the first verified in New Jersey, by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT). This premier Level 1 verification complements the ranking of Jersey Shore’s pediatric facility, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital - which along with Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital - is ranked the #1 in New Jersey in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospital Report.
“All of our surgeons, specialists, advanced practice practitioners, and nurses are highly specialized experts in stabilizing and treating pediatric patients arriving at our academic medical center, typically in life-threatening conditions,” said pediatric general surgeon , medical director of the pediatric trauma center. “Our goal is not only to save lives, but also ensure the best possible recovery, and quality of life for these patients after they leave our care.”
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and the highest level of institutional performance, as outlined by the ACS COT in its current manual, Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. There are three levels of ACS trauma center verification, each defined by specific standards that speak to the important roles of the center in serving its community. These standards clarify the care that must be available to the injured patient at the facility, along with other expectations related to research and educational contributions to advance the field and to ensure the availability of highly qualified trauma providers in the future.
“Our adult trauma center has been Level 1 verified since 2022,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, president and chief hospital executive, JSUMC. “This premier verification for our adult and now pediatric trauma center reflects our surgeons and nursing teams’ high-quality and exceptional critical care, as well as surgical capabilities throughout all of our specialities, whether provided for inpatients or on an outpatient basis.”
The ACS Trauma Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program helps hospitals to evaluate and improve their trauma care. It provides an objective, external review of a trauma center’s resources and performance. A team of trauma experts completes a site review of the hospital. The team assesses relevant components of the program including their regional role(s), the availability of physical and health human resources, policies, patient care protocols, and the hospital’s quality improvement processes. Of note, patients cared for in ACS-verified trauma centers have a lower risk of death and improved quality of life compared with patients in non-verified centers.
“Residents of Monmouth and Ocean counties and the entire region have long relied on Jersey Shore’s trauma and emergency care teams,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president southern market, HMH. “With this verification, families should be comforted that their children are receiving the best care during a crisis.”
Importantly, the ACS does not designate trauma centers. Instead, it verifies compliance with the standards listed in the manual, Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. A facility earns the title of “designated trauma center” when it meets the requirements of government or other authorizing entities.
As an ACS-verified trauma center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center is an . Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies a hospital’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know JSUMC is dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.
"ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, Jersey Shore University Medical Center has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement," said ACS Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, M.D., MBA, FACS.
For information, visit . For a free physician referral, call 844-HMH-WELL.
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