Aspirus Wausau Hospital Reverified as a Level 2 Trauma Center

The trauma center at Aspirus Wausau Hospital (AWH) has been verified as a Level 2 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). 

AWH has been a Level 2 Trauma Center since 2008 and this is their 5th reverification. This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. 

“We are proud to be able to offer this resource to our community,” says Sara Steen, Aspirus trauma program manager. “The need for excellent trauma care for the injured in any area is critically important to saving lives.”  
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. 

The actual establishment and the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional, or state health care systems agencies, such as the local emergency medical services (EMS) authority. There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program. 

Each category has specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of verification. Each hospital has an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers, who use the current Resources for the Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual as a guideline in conducting the survey.