CHOC Hospital in Orange Becomes First Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in County

CHOC Hospital in Orange has been verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) as a Level I pediatric trauma center, the only one in Orange County and the fourth in Southern California.

Level I verification is the highest possible ranking for trauma centers and recognizes CHOC’s commitment to providing the best possible care for all injured children, as well as serving as a trusted pediatric resource for the community.

“We are honored to serve the children and families in Orange County, and are proud to join an elite group of hospitals committed to improving pediatric trauma care,” Dr. David Gibbs, director, trauma services at CHOC, said. “Our expert, compassionate and multi-disciplinary team at CHOC is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to seriously injured children. This attention spans from the moment they arrive to the day they go home. Our goal is to give each patient the best chance of survival and recovery.”

To earn verification, CHOC submitted an extensive application and data. This was followed by a two-day evaluation of CHOC’s trauma program by the ACS team of surgeons, who were highly complimentary of all aspects of care, and of CHOC’s commitment to being a pediatric healthcare leader.

The Level I pediatric designation is reserved for centers that provide the highest level of care to patients. The evaluation’s criteria is extensive, requiring centers to exhibit excellence in the following: a complete call panel of board-certified physicians, prehospital care, follow-up care, education, injury prevention and research.

As a verified Level I pediatric trauma center, CHOC is a referral source for communities throughout the region and is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury – from prevention through rehabilitation. Elements include:

• 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial, pediatric and critical care
• Acting as a referral resource for communities in nearby regions
• Providing leadership in injury prevention, public education to surrounding communities
• Continuing education of the trauma team members
• Incorporation of a comprehensive quality assessment program
• Operation of an organized teaching and research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care
• Meeting a minimum requirement for annual volume of severely injured patients

Additionally, as a Level I pediatric trauma center, CHOC goes beyond to meet the requirements set by Orange County Emergency Medical Services.