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WILKES-BARRE — It was a day early and they were nowhere near the part of the hospital they were celebrating, but officials and staff at Wilkes-Barre General gathered in the hospital lobby Thursday to mark a big change: gaining Level II Trauma Center accreditation.
Noting it took 18 months to earn the status, trauma program medical director Dr. Denis Tereb said the change is important because major trauma cases have bypassed the hospital to head to other accredited facilities. The new status means quicker treatment for those in the Wyoming Valley.
Tereb also said trauma surgery is the only field of surgical practice that is growing. “All others are shrinking” thanks to new techniques and treatment options. And he promised “this is only the beginning,” as the hospital works toward further expansion of trauma services.
Pennsylvania has four levels of trauma centers, with Level I the highest. The difference is essentially how well-prepared, equipped and trained hospital staff is for handling trauma cases, and how many cases they handle annually. Tereb said the only difference between Level II and Level I is that Level I centers have a higher volume of use and conduct research.
The accreditation becomes official Friday. The crowd gathered in the lobby was clearly happy with the milestone, and Commonwealth Health CEO Cor Catena touted the “hard work” put into attaining the status.
Tereb said the center currently has four trauma surgeons and is looking for one more. There are also three general surgeons who can help in trauma cases thanks to training and experience. There are two physician assistants, and Tereb said “we are looking to hire four more.”
The trauma center fits in with recent trends in health care toward “teams” of doctors and health care professionals working with a patient, Tereb said.
The field requires facilities to continuously expand, but Tereb explained “it has to be controlled expansion.”
