The trauma program at Ochsner Lafayette General's flagship hospital, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, was verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee, an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in January of 2019. This achievement establishes Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center as the region’s most prepared destination for trauma, as it provides the resources and staffing needed to handle major emergencies. Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center met requirements for trauma program status with the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN) in September 2015 and worked toward the Level II Trauma Center designation for three years.
In addition to care for medical emergencies, such as a stroke or heart attack, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center's Level II Trauma Center will also provide multidisciplinary, comprehensive services for the critically injured patients, including those from events such as falls, motor vehicle crashes and physical assaults. Injuries can include intra-abdominal organ injuries, traumatic brain injury, multiple bone fractures and gunshot wounds.
To give these patients the best chance for survival Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center is required to have:
- 24/7 coverage by a trauma surgeon
- 24/7 access to specialty and critical care physicians
- 24/7 on-call neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons
- 24/7 on-site anesthesia provider, surgical services team and trauma trained nurses
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual.
The ACS Committee on Trauma's verification program does not designate trauma centers. Rather, the 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 the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional or state healthcare systems agencies. As such, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center has been designated a Level II Trauma Center by the Louisiana Department of Health.
