The Southcoast Health Trauma Center at St. Luke’s Hospital maintained its position as the most advanced trauma center in southeastern Massachusetts by earning reverification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and redesignation from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Level II Adult Trauma Center in a 2024 comprehensive review process.

“Establishing a trauma center is a significant investment in the community. When an organization commits to maintaining a high-level trauma program, it’s a reflection of its ongoing dedication to provide advanced emergency care and comprehensive services to everyone in the area,” said Michael Grossman, MD, Medical Director of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Southcoast Health.

Southcoast Health began the process to create a centrally located Level II Trauma Center in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Region 5 serving the South Coast community, Cape and Islands in 2019. Southcoast Health officially earned verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and designation from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as the first and only Level II Trauma Center in Massachusetts’ EMS Region 5 in 2021.

Over the years, the location has continuously grown to meet the needs of the community. Recently, the program added two additional trauma beds in the emergency room at St. Luke’s Hospital and opened an outpatient trauma clinic to centralize patient care close to home after a traumatic event. The center’s highly specialized team has now cared for over 8,500 patients and treats approximately 2,000 patients annually.

“We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of medical professionals within our response area to provide high-level trauma care to our patients and treat our providers with professionalism and respect in some very stressful situations. The Southcoast Health Trauma Center is a great asset to our patients,” said Bethann Faunce, Interim Chief, Fall River Emergency Medical Services.

“I have witnessed firsthand how efficiently the St. Luke’s trauma team reacts when a patient arrives at the hospital. Every patient we bring to them gets a full trauma assessment as soon as we get through the door,” added Mark McGraw, Executive Director for the Swansea Ambulance Corps.

In addition to providing advanced medical care at the Trauma Center, this Southcoast Health team works closely with community partners to provide training and education to help keep South Coast residents safe. The staff also participates in regular educational sessions and disaster drills to ensure their skills are top-notch.

“In our area we are fortunate to have strong relationships and outstanding support from our local Emergency Medical Service (EMS) partners. These dedicated teams play a critical role in the trauma response, and we could not do this work without them,” said Jacquelyn Miller, Trauma Program Manager at Southcoast Health. “The central location of St. Luke’s also helps EMS get patients the trauma care they need faster while keeping these essential resources in our community.”

A Level II Trauma Center is equipped to see any type of trauma patient with 24-hour/day immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care specialists. Differentiating them from Level I centers, Level II centers are not required to conduct research or have surgical residency programs. The American Trauma Society explains the differences between each trauma center level here.

“As a not-for-profit community health system, our decisions are always guided by the needs of our patients and community. That’s why we established a trauma center to ensure these lifesaving services were available for everyone in our region,” said David O. McCready, President and CEO of Southcoast Health. “I am grateful for the outstanding dedication of our providers nurses and staff and additionally want to thank our wonderful EMS partners who are always ready and willing to help. In a traumatic event, the EMS teams are the first ones to respond, providing excellent care and stabilizing patients for transport to the hospital. This process truly relies on everyone working together and we greatly appreciate the support of these exceptional first responders.”

To learn more about the Southcoast Health Level II Adult Trauma Center, please visit Southcoast Health Trauma Center | Southcoast Health.