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For the past two years, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NMCCL) staff has been working diligently to earn Level III trauma center verification. On February 28, 2018, the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeon (ACS) officially verified NMCCL as a Level III trauma center for a period of one year through December 15, 2018.
A certificate of verification demonstrates that NMCCL is nearing the ultimate goal of becoming an official member of the North Carolina trauma system. Through ACS verification and expected designation by the state of North Carolina, NMCCL would become the first Navy military treatment facility in the nation to provide trauma care to a local community. Achieving trauma verification and eventual designation means NMCCL will not only provide a key service to a region that is underserved by trauma, but also aid in force readiness of the active-duty personnel currently serving at NMCCL.
In December 2017, ACS representatives spent two days conducting an on-site visit of NMCCL, evaluating trauma processes and systems implemented by NMCCL in hopes of earning the Level III trauma center verification. The ACS Verification Review Committee of Drs. R. Stephen Smith, Ron Gross and Nurse Reviewer Linda J. Jones, RN, applauded the NMCCL staff’s dedication to perfecting their trauma processes. The reviewers confirmed zero deficiencies were found during the inspection – an unprecedented conclusion, according to the ACS. Based on the December 2017 review, the Committee on Trauma granted NMCCL the Level III trauma center verification. Verification is achieved less than a year following an announcement from United Sates Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel) regarding NMCCL’s pursuance of trauma center status.
“Just last year, I had the honor of announcing that Camp Lejeune’s Naval Hospital would be upgraded to a medical center, which paved the way to receive designation as a high level trauma center. Since then, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune has made incredible progress in providing trauma care for residents of Eastern North Carolina and training services for military medics,” said Senator Tillis in a recent release. “The verification as a level III trauma center is an incredible achievement and a testament to the Navy’s commitment to world-class trauma care and the life-saving work being done by medical professionals at Camp Lejeune.”
NMCCL’s trauma verification and expected designation means the medical center would continue providing Eastern North Carolina with trauma care for the military beneficiary population and non-Department of Defense patients. NMCCL will continue to work closely with local health care establishments and neighboring trauma centers (Vidant Medical Center, Greenville and New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington) to foster the high standard of care patients in the region require. Upon receipt of verification, NMCCL Commanding Officer Captain Jim Hancock thanked his staff for their commitment to the development of the trauma center and their diligence in creating a center to not only serve the Carolina MAGTAF but the community outside the gate.
“I am very pleased with the work you all have done for this. The verification is amazing, but this is even more about being proud of knowing as a team that we can accomplish anything that our great nation tasks us with,” said Hancock. “Our challenge now is to continue to be the best each and every day; our staff is as good as it gets.”
The Level III trauma center verification provides an additional level of training for the active duty population serving at NMCCL, furthering the medical center’s mission of “readiness first.” Trauma care provides military medical professionals the means to consistently hone their clinical and operational skills in life-saving care, similar to what they may encounter in theater. Providing this type of invaluable training supports a national mission of maintaining a sizeable, read-to-deploy medical force to support international operations and rapid disaster response.
NMCCL’s journey to becoming a verified and designated Level III trauma center has been followed closely by North Carolina Congressional members. The recent verification was recognized and congratulated by not only Tillis who has been a proponent of the process from the beginning, but also United States Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and United States Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC). Since the verification a group of liaisons from Burr’s team have visited NMCCL to get a closer look at the processes and advancements made in conjunction with becoming a designated and verified Level III trauma center.
The Level III trauma center verification will stand for a period of one year. NMCCL will have an opportunity to receive an extension on their ACS verification period for an additional two years after an on-site focused review of the performance improvement process data.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2018 14:12 |
| Story ID: | 278839 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 232 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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