Concord Hospital’s trauma center reverified at second-highest certification level

Concord Hospital has been reverified as a Level II trauma center, the second-highest category possible, by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.

It is one of three hospitals across the state with that designation, along with Elliott in Manchester and Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is the only New Hampshire facility certified as a Level I trauma center.

Trauma centers have coverage, equipment and medical expertise to handle patients dealing with sudden injuries that are serious or life-threatening. As a Level II trauma center, Concord Hospital provides initial trauma care for a wide range of injuries as well as education and disaster planning throughout the community.

“This reverification further validates the strength and dedication of our trauma team, which includes staff in the emergency department, radiology, laboratory, intensive care, rehabilitation services, orthopedics, anesthesia and the operating room,” reflected Hilary Hawkins, Concord Hospital’s trauma program manager.

Level I and Level II trauma centers are defined partly by the number of patients they can handle each year. They provide basically the same services for most traumas except the most severe, while Level II does less outreach than Level I, has fewer resources and isn’t equipped for mass casualty incidents, as defined by the American Trauma Society.

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Seven state hospitals are certified as Level III trauma centers, including Catholic Medical Center in Manchester. They focus on resuscitation, stabilization and assessment of trauma victims, with the ability to transfer them to higher-level centers if needed.

Concord Hospital’s facilities in Laconia and Franklin are not certified as trauma centers, nor is New London Hospital.

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