Pottsville, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2023) – Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Schuylkill has been approved by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) Board of Directors as a Level IV Trauma Center effective November 1, 2023.

The PTSF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the Emergency Medical Services Act (Act 1985-45). The PTSF is the organization responsible for accrediting trauma centers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

As a Level IV trauma center, LVH–Schuylkill has the resources immediately available to provide optimal care and reduce the likelihood of death or disability to injured patients. Accredited trauma centers must be continuously prepared to treat the most serious life-threatening and disabling injuries.

“This exciting accomplishment is proof that our team at LVH–Schuylkill is dedicated to providing optimal care to our trauma population,” says Kaitlyn Daniels, RN, Trauma Program Coordinator. “We are very proud to extend our clinical services to these patients in need.”

The emergency medical services (EMS) system is an integral component to a trauma center. The EMS system assures appropriate patient care management from the time of injury to treatment at a local trauma center through the rehabilitative phase of care.

“Care for the trauma patient begins out in the field, at the scene before a person comes in through our emergency department,” says Marc Bonin, DO, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine and Trauma Director at LVH–Schuylkill. “Coordination of care with our pre-hospital providers and between specialties and departments within the hospital, and the level of medical care provided to patients, has taken a giant leap forward with this accreditation. Trauma accreditation signifies that our hospital has significantly elevated our ability to not only care for the injured in our community, but for the provision of medical care in every area of the hospital.”

“The Level IV Trauma Center accreditation demonstrates our team’s dedication to provide patients with the highest quality of care and expertise right here in our community,” says Bill Reppy, President, LVH–Schuylkill. “Our team is vast and diverse, consisting not only of the dedicated emergency and other health care professionals at LVH–Schuylkill, but also pre-hospital first responders, the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN)–MedEvac medical flight team and the resources of our partner at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest which is accredited as both a Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. Working together, we are providing the best and most efficient care to trauma patients throughout Schuylkill County.”

Level IV trauma centers, often smaller in size and located in a rural area, can provide initial care and stabilization of traumatic injuries while arranging transfer to a higher level of trauma care. A Level IV Trauma Center has demonstrated an ability to provide Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center according to the PTSF. It provides timely evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic capabilities for injured patients utilizing ATLS protocols and 24-hour laboratory/diagnostic coverage.

In Pennsylvania there are four levels of trauma centers. Level I trauma centers provide the highest degree of resources with a full spectrum of specialists and must have trauma research and surgical residency programs. Level II trauma centers meet the same high level of care but do not require research and residency programs and many subspecialists in cardiac surgery, hand surgery, vascular

re-implantation, oral/maxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngological surgery, neurology, physiatry and psychiatry. Level III trauma centers are smaller community hospitals that do not require neurosurgeons and focus on stabilizing severe trauma patients prior to transport to a higher-level trauma center. They may admit patients with mild and moderate injuries. Level IV trauma centers provide enhanced care to injured patients within the emergency department and focus on stabilization and quick transfer to a higher-level trauma center. They may admit mildly injured patients.

Each trauma center regardless of its level is an integral component of the emergency medical services (EMS) system. The EMS system assures appropriate patient care management from the time of injury to treatment at a local hospital or trauma center through the rehabilitative phase of care.

In addition to the Level IV Trauma Accreditation, LVH–Schuylkill is also a Certified Chest Pain Center and an Accredited Primary Stroke Center.

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) includes 13 hospital campuses, four in

Allentown, two in Bethlehem, one in Easton, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton, two in Pottsville, one in Dickson City, and one in Lehighton, Pa.; 28 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 20 ExpressCARE locations including the area’s only Children’s ExpressCARE; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children; burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center; and robotic surgery in 10 specialties. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute and Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is a member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance (MSK Cancer Alliance), an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the third largest children’s hospital in Pennsylvania, provides care in more than 30 specialties and general pediatrics.  Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest is ranked as the region’s No. 1 hospital for 10 straight years and has been recognized among Pennsylvania’s top 10 hospitals for 10 consecutive years and nationally ranked for Orthopedics in 2023 by U.S. News & World Report. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the Lehigh Valley’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting LVHN.org or following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Information provided to TVL by:
Brian Downs
Public Information Officer
Marketing and Public Affairs
Lehigh Valley Health Network
LVHN.org

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