Author: Sherry Farney
The trauma center at McLaren Flint has been verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.
Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the COT's Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the prehospital phase through the rehabilitation process.
“I want to thank everyone who participated in McLaren Flint’s recent trauma center verification review,” said Michael Mueller, MD, board-certified general surgeon, and Trauma Medical Director of McLaren Flint’s Trauma Program. “Injured patients have better outcomes when cared for at a certified trauma center. McLaren Flint is highly committed and dedicated to providing this high level of care and service to the community. It is truly a multidisciplinary team effort. I am very proud of our team and what we have been able to achieve."
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons' COT in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual.
The ACS Committee on Trauma's verification program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients.
The ACS is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. There are over 72,000 ACS members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.