(From Blanchard Valley Health System)
Blanchard Valley Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, has been reverified as a Level III trauma center by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. BVH received three additional ACS recognitions pertaining to surgical quality, cancer treatment, and its commitment to continually improving trauma care.
The Level III trauma center verification is valid for three years. BVH is Level III-N, which means it additionally has neurology and neurosurgery capabilities to treat injuries like a traumatic brain bleed or a fracture of the spinal column.
The ACS Trauma Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program helps hospitals evaluate and improve their trauma care. The review process includes a site visit to the hospital by a team of trauma experts. The ACS has found that patients cared for in ACS-verified trauma centers have a lower risk of death and improved quality of life compared with patients who receive care in non-verified centers.
“As a Level III trauma center, we treat and stabilize patients in various situations,” said Samantha Walker, RN, trauma program manager. “Our unique location right on Interstate 75 means that we tend to see more trauma patients than many Level III trauma centers.”
BVH was also named an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, a new recognition announced for the first time this year. This designation reflects the proven record BVH has demonstrated of adhering to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality – to minimize complications, improve outcomes, and save lives.
“This recognition demonstrates that not only do we have excellent, dedicated associates in the emergency room, but our surgeons also are among the best,” Walker said.
“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, Blanchard Valley Hospital has shown a commitment to providing the best possible patient care, rigorously evaluating that care, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement,” said ACS Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS.
Additionally, BVH was recognized for participating in the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP).
As part of TQIP, the BVH trauma team submits data on trauma patients compared to data from throughout the United States. Patient information is anonymous, but the ACS reviews trauma cases from their arrival at the hospital through the end of their stay, to track the quality of care at each hospital.
“The goal is to improve our trauma care, so we are always looking to see if there is anything we can learn or improve upon to ensure we deliver the best care to patients,” Walker said. “Regularly reviewing this data also helps us see trends throughout the region. For example, if we realize we are seeing an increase in the number of patients injured in falls, that may indicate a need to educate the community on fall prevention.”
Walker noted that much of the data that the ACS reviewed before granting these honors were from 2021-2022, when the emergency department was busier than usual amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Associates in the emergency department and throughout the hospital are dedicated to providing good care, whatever they may encounter in a given day,” Walker said. “Receiving these honors speaks to our team’s dedication to their work.”
“We are committed to providing the best possible care for our community,” Walker said. “We are honored to be recognized for these efforts and remain committed to continually improving to ensure residents of Northwest Ohio receive the best possible care.”
For more information on trauma care at BVH, please visit https://www.bvhealthsystem.org/services/emergency/trauma-care