St. Louis Children’s is the only pediatric hospital to receive this Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center designation in both Missouri and Illinois.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has maintained its ranking as one of 54 pediatric hospitals to be verified as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). St. Louis Children’s is the only pediatric hospital to receive this designation in Missouri and Illinois.
“By meeting the standards set by the ACS for trauma verification, St. Louis Children's Hospital continues to provide the highest level of care and support for pediatric patients,” said Martin Keller, MD, Washington University pediatric surgeon and medical director of trauma services at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Receiving ACS trauma verification in 2018 means that Children’s has received this designation for more than three decades in Missouri.”
Approximately 58,000 patients are seen in the Children’s Emergency Department each year from throughout Missouri and Illinois; more than 1,800 of those cases are injury-related, from minor to severe including head injury, burns and orthopedics.
ACS works to improve the care of injured and critically-ill patients – before, during transport, and throughout hospitalization. A team of trauma experts completes an on-site review of the hospital to assess relevant features of the program, including commitment, readiness, resources, policies, patient care, and performance improvement. ACS verification occurs every three years.
“Our goal is to continuously pursue excellence in all aspects of pediatric trauma care,” says Moe Schmid, MA, MSN, RN, manager of trauma services and EMS outreach at St. Louis Children's Hospital. “Parents have a choice of where they take their children, and we hope they will recognize the importance of choosing a hospital that offers comprehensive services specific to children,” Schmid adds. “We rely heavily on our EMS colleagues and the vital role they perform at the scene, which then allows us to do our part to achieve best outcome possible for that child.”
St. Louis Children's Hospital
For more than 130 years, St. Louis Children's Hospital has provided exceptional care for children in all 50 states and 80 countries around the world. With its academic partner, Washington University School of Medicine, Children’s is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. A member of BJC Healthcare, St. Louis Children’s Hospital follows one simple mission – to do what’s right for kids. That mission comes to life through medical discovery, innovative therapies and compassionate care. In 2018, Children's expanded with a state-of-the-art, 12-story medical tower. Children’s relies on generous donors to deliver specialized care for families in need, extend health care services to the community, and pursue research that promises to transform pediatric medicine. To find out more, visit StLouisChildrens.org, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.