Prowers Medical Center Earns Trauma Center Designation

LAMAR, COLO. — Prowers Medical Center has earned official designation as a Level IV Trauma Center by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

Trauma centers are hospital emergency programs with the staffing, training, systems, and equipment necessary to care for seriously injured people. Trauma center levels are I, II, III, IV and V. The different levels refer to the kinds of resources available to the trauma center and the number of patients admitted yearly.

Prowers Medical Center’s Level IV designation means that the hospital passed a formal review process demonstrating the ability to provide Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) prior to the transfer or admission of patients. “Prowers Medical Center is now part of a statewide network of trauma facilities that commit to quality protocols and work together to efficiently transfer patients when higher levels of care are necessary.” said Tianne Woodward, Prowers Medical Center’s Trauma Nurse Coordinator.

“Studies show that injured patients treated in designated trauma centers have better outcomes than injured patients treated in non-trauma hospitals, even in hospital settings,” said Dr. Christine Bogardus, Prowers Medical Center’s Trauma Medical Director. “The process of qualifying as an official trauma center helped us enhance our care protocols and streamline patient flow to the most appropriate level of care.”

“To earn Level IV designation, many of our professionals worked closely together, from the Quality and Emergency Departments to the Laboratory, Imaging, Cardiopulmonary, Rehab, Surgical Services, Acute Care Services and Case Management,” said Tina Sandoval, Prowers Medical Center’s Chief Clinical Officer. “From the time before an injured patient arrives at our ER through discharge, we now have well-synchronized processes in place to ensure care standards are met.”

When someone is severely injured and time is of the essence, having a trauma center close to home can mean the difference between life and death. Prowers Medical Center is the only designated trauma center in Prowers County with the next closest trauma center being 58 miles away.

“We are proud to be able to serve our community with essential trauma services,” said Leslie Day, Prowers Medical Center’s Emergency Services Manager. “Now that we are a level IV facility, we have the processes in place to not only deliver quality trauma care but also continue to improve.”

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