Special to The Hays Daily News

Hays Medical Center has been verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee of the American College of Surgeons. It is the only ACS-verified Level III trauma center in western Kansas and one of only four in the state.

"We are extremely proud of our Level III status," said Dr. John Jeter, CEO and president of HaysMed. "Our trauma team and many HaysMed associates have contributed to this project and certainly deserve a lot of credit."

Level III verification by the ACS acknowledges HaysMed has demonstrated leadership in the treatment of traumatic injuries and other complex life-threatening conditions. It underscores the dedication of the hospital to ensure faster access to advanced care and immediate intervention for life-threatening events.

"Level III Trauma verification demonstrates better patient outcomes and saves lives." said Carol Groen, RN, MSN, CEN, director of emergency and outpatient nursing service at HaysMed. "We provide tertiary medical services for thousands of patients each year and now can serve as the lead trauma facility for western Kansas."

With Level III Trauma designation, the resources and systems are in place to initially stabilize the patient and take care of more types of patient emergencies. If a patient is more seriously injured, Level III centers are prepared to stabilize and expeditiously transfer out to a Level I trauma center for further definitive care when necessary.

HaysMed had a site visit from the ACS in November and was notified early in January of their verification.

The ACS provides confirmation a hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality of trauma care for all injured patients. It verifies emergency services and board-certified surgeons, as well as laboratory services, blood bank and radiology are available around the clock.

The ACS does not actually designate the trauma center -- the Kansas Department of Health and Environment provides that function.