The Utah Bureau of Emergency Services and Preparedness re‐certified Moab Regional Hospital as a Level IV Trauma Center.
Moab Regional Hospital made the announcement on Jan. 25. The hospital is the only Level IV Trauma Center in southeastern Utah.
“The certification is based on fidelity of best processes and procedures as well as staff who have received substantial additional training to care for trauma patients,” said Annie Relph, a registered nurse and the trauma program manager. “The Moab Regional Hospital Trauma Team consists of numerous hospital departments working diligently to stabilize the patient and transfer in a timely manner.”
St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City typically receive patients with more severe injuries.
The American Trauma Society defines a Level IV Trauma Center as one that “has demonstrated an ability to provide advanced trauma life support prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center.”
Trauma centers are required to have important elements such as “24‐hour laboratory coverage, trauma‐trained nurses and physicians and a supervising surgeon available.”
During a recent visit, surveyors reviewed individual trauma patient files to ensure that best practices are taking place and optimal patient care is being provided.
Moab Regional Hospital cared for over 100 trauma patients in 2018. This number increased from 40 trauma patients assisted in 2017.
“We have been working with Grand County EMS to prepare the trauma team internally and externally prior to the patient arriving at the hospital” Relph said.
Beginning in 2019, Relph said San Juan EMS is joining the hospital’s Trauma Performance Improvement Committee meetings.
“The care received at the location of the accident and during transport to Moab Regional Hospital is crucial to patient outcomes,” Relph said. “We are grateful for the relationships we have with these two entities.”
Doctor Kim Brandau, a general surgeon at Moab Regional Hospital, serves as the trauma team medical director. Brandau is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the entity that oversees trauma designations.
“The certification ensures we are meeting national and state quality measures,” Brandau said. “The entire staff at Moab Regional Hospital has worked diligently to meet these requirements. It truly benefits our community and visitors to have this caliber of emergency services readily available and improves patient outcomes.”
Staff assisted over 100 trauma patients in 2018
