North Oaks Shock Trauma Center has earned official verification from the
American College of Surgeons (ACS) and designation from the
Louisiana Department of Health as a Level II Trauma Center.
Strategically located at the intersection of Interstates 12 and 55, known
as the “Crossroads of the South,” North Oaks is the only Level
II center serving Region 9, which is comprised of Tangipahoa, Livingston,
St. Helena, St.Tammany and Washington parishes, and one of five designated
trauma centers in Louisiana.
“A key to saving the lives of trauma victims is getting them the
care they need within the first 60 minutes, known as the ‘Golden
Hour,’” explains
Juan Duchesne, MD, FACS, FCCP, FCCM, North Oaks Shock Trauma Center’s Medical Director. “Countless
medical studies have proven that this nationally recognized best practice
in trauma medicine greatly improves a patient’s chances of survival
and their overall outcomes.”
In addition to Duchesne, North Oaks Shock Trauma Center’s highly
specialized team of trauma providers also includes:
Drs. Marquinn Duke, Patrick Greiffenstein,
Rosemarie Robledo and Jeremy Timmer; Physician Assistant Jennifer Esquinance; and Nurse
Practitioners Aaron Bateman, Jodee Bernier and Ellen Wilson.
According to North Oaks Health System Executive Vice President/Chief Operating
Officer and North Oaks Medical Center Administrator Michele Sutton, FACHE,
the hospital’s efforts to become a Level II Trauma Center began
in 2012. That’s when health system officials answered the call of the
Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN) to consider becoming the first verified and designated trauma center in
Region 9 of the state. LERN is responsible for developing and maintaining
a statewide system of emergency care coordination for patients suddenly
stricken by serious traumatic injury or time-sensitive illness (such as
heart attack and stroke). LERN also serves as a vital health care resource
in the face of larger scale emergencies and natural disasters.
One of LERN’s strategic priorities is to facilitate development of
a comprehensive statewide trauma network that includes a state-designated
trauma center in each of Louisiana’s nine regions.
Accomplishing this strategic priority would place the majority of Louisiana’s
citizens within one hour of a designated trauma center, according to LERN
Executive Director Paige Hargrove, BSN, RN.
“Accessing quality trauma care close to home is better for your patients
and their families,” Hargrove affirms. “It is a tremendous
achievement – for the North Oaks team, for this region and for our
state. LERN is proud to support North Oaks and looks forward to working
together as we continue to build Louisiana’s trauma system.”
Since 2014, North Oaks Shock Trauma Center has treated nearly 2,000 injured
patients and already realized a 50 percent decrease in the number of patients
transferred out of our area to receive care. The majority of patients
treated have been victims of ATV and motor vehicle crashes, falls, homicide
attempts and purposely inflicted injuries, according to North Oaks Certified
Programs Director Katie Sheets, BSN, RN.
“A Level II Trauma Center is able to initiate immediate, lifesaving
care for all injured patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This includes
immediate coverage provided by 27 emergency department physicians, 6 trauma/critical
care-trained surgeons and 4 mid-level providers with assistance from specialists
in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, radiology, ENT (ear,
nose and throat) and ophthalmology,” Sutton remarks. “Our
comprehensive trauma service line also is supported by 350 nurses who
staff our
emergency department,
operating room, post-anesthesia recovery unit, surgical intensive care unit, surgery
unit and orthopedic-neurosurgery unit.”
The health system’s
respiratory therapists,
rehabilitation professionals,laboratory, environmental services, case managers and
pastoral care ministers also assist the Shock Trauma Center in patient and family support.
Community partners, including
Acadian Ambulance Services and the
Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency also play an important role in the trauma program.
Certified Programs Director Katie Sheets and Trauma Manager Tyler Brignac
provide leadership for the center and are assisted by trauma registrars
and a program assistant, while a Shock Trauma Clinic offers follow-up
care to patients after they are discharged from the hospital to help them
regain as much “pre-trauma” quality of life as possible.
North Oaks’ announcement culminates completion of a comprehensive
on-site visit conducted by members of the Verification Review Committee
of the ACS Committee on Trauma.
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma
care capability and institutional performance as outlined by the ACS Committee
on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual.
During their site visit, Drs. Christopher Baker and James Kessel praised
the leadership of the North Oaks Shock Trauma Program for their qualifications,
commitment and active involvement in state and national trauma systems.
They also commended North Oaks Medical Center’s administration for
providing the necessary structural, equipment, and personnel resources
to assure the trauma center’s success.
Established by the ACS in 1987, the Committee on Trauma’s Consultation/Verification
Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which
hospitals provide the full spectrum of care and resources necessary to
address all of the needs of injured patients—from the critical golden
hour to the rehabilitation process and every phase of medical care in between.
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 actual establishment
and designation of trauma centers in Louisiana is the function of the
Louisiana Department of Health.
Louisiana’s Level I Trauma Centers are located in New Orleans and
Shreveport. In addition to North Oaks Shock Trauma Center in Hammond,
other Level II Trauma Centers are located in Baton Rouge and Alexandria.
Levels are determined by the ACS based on resources available at a verified
trauma center and the number of patients admitted yearly.
To learn more about the North Oaks Shock Trauma Center, call the North
Oaks Public Relations Department at (985) 230-6647.
