ACS Trauma Reverification — commitment to optimal care earned by HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital
The trauma center at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has been reverified as a Level II trauma center by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT).
Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and the highest level of institutional performance, as outlined by the ACS COT in its current manual, Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient.
“Being verified as a Level II trauma center reinforces our hospital’s role as a trusted resource for emergency care in our community.”, said Sally Seymour, CEO of HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital. “It means that when seconds count, our team is ready to provide life-saving treatment with precision, compassion, and excellence. Since establishing trauma services in November 2011, HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital’s trauma center has cared for more than 32,000 injured patients.”
There are three levels of ACS trauma center verification, each defined by specific standards that speak to the important roles of the center in serving its community. These standards clarify the care that must be available to the injured patient at the facility, along with other expectations related to research and educational contributions to advance the field and to ensure the availability of highly qualified trauma providers in the future.
The ACS Trauma Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program helps hospitals to evaluate and improve their trauma care. It provides an objective, external review of a trauma center’s resources and performance. A team of trauma experts completes a site review of the hospital. The team assesses relevant components of the program including their regional role(s), the availability of physical and health human resources, policies, patient care protocols, and the hospital’s quality improvement processes. Of note, patients cared for in ACS-verified trauma centers have a lower risk of death and improved quality of life compared with patients in non-verified centers.
Importantly, the ACS does not designate trauma centers. In Florida, trauma center designation is handled by the Department of Health, and hospitals are not required to undergo ACS verification. HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital voluntarily participates in this rigorous review process — a testament to our commitment to delivering the highest quality trauma care. By choosing to be evaluated against national standards, we demonstrate our dedication to continuous improvement and accountability in every aspect of patient care.
As an ACS-verified trauma center, HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital also becomes an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Being a Surgical Quality Partner signifies a hospital’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches, while maintaining a critical eye on process at every step. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital IS dedicated to quality and relentless self-improvement and has been verified or accredited by the ACS. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.
"ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation is an important measure of a hospital’s surgical quality. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement," said ACS Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS.