RUHS Medical Center verified as the only Level-1 Trauma Center in Riverside County

By Riverside County
Contributed

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) awarded Riverside University Health System Medical Center (RUHS-MC) Level-1 Trauma Center verification, constituting RUHS-MC as the only trauma center in Riverside County with this verification from the ACS-COT.
This recognition certifies that the medical center provides the highest quality of trauma care from initial resuscitation to rehabilitation. The verification team found that the medical center’s strengths were in their ability to strongly collaborate with regional EMS services, the depth of expertise, commitment and collaboration of all clinical programs involved in the care of injured patients, the impressive growth and existence of the research program, and the exceptional outcomes, to name a few.
In the last few years, the health care facility has made strides to enhance its trauma care. RUHS launched CECORC (Comparative Effectiveness and Clinical Outcomes Research Center), built a strong team of board-certified trauma surgeons, increased their resuscitation area to handle up to five patients simultaneously, created injury prevention programs and markedly improved their quality outcome scores.
Raul Coimbra, MD, PhD, FACS, Surgeon-in-Chief for RUHS-MC, says that this verification is a testament to all the talented team’s hard work and passion for improving the quality of trauma care and for the several years of development under the leadership of Daniel Ludi MD, FACS, the trauma medical director.
“This accomplishment required a tremendous amount of teamwork that helped streamline a very detailed and organized process,” Coimbra says. “We are grateful for the support of both county and hospital leadership that paved the way for our community to have access to the highest level of trauma care in the region.”
Chief of Medical Staff Arnold Tabuenca, MD, says he is proud of this well-deserved accomplishment.
“I am elated that our institution has received this high honor,” says Tabuenca. “The process of becoming a verified Level 1 Trauma Center elevated the level of care that we provide, thus allowing us to save more lives in Riverside County.”
Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the COT’s Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the prehospitalization phase through the rehabilitation process. 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.

About Riverside University Health System
RUHS is the only ACS verified Level 1 trauma center in Riverside County. The system includes a 439-bed Medical Center, 13 Community Health Centers, and several primary and specialty clinics throughout Riverside County, California. With more than 6,000 staff members and over 125 years of experience serving Riverside County communities, RUHS continues its commitment to and legacy of delivering exceptional, compassionate care with a focus on public health, behavioral health, community wellness and medical education.
Visit ruhealth.org to learn more.