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| July 14, 2009 - Nanticoke Upgrades Trauma Treatment |
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SEAFORD -- For the last two years, victims of major car crashes, falls and workplace machinery injuries in western Sussex County have been flown and carried to other hospitals because of a shortage of surgeons. On Monday, that all changed, as Nanticoke Memorial Hospital announced it has upgraded its emergency trauma status, which hospital and medical officials describe as a huge boost to the county and a tremendous benefit for patients. "Now everybody's on an even keel," said Glenn Luedtke, Sussex County's director of emergency medical services. "It really makes decisions where to take a patient much easier." The hospital voluntarily downgraded its emergency trauma status in July 2007, meaning people with injuries such as compound fractures and joint problems had to be treated elsewhere. It needed to have two full-time orthopedic surgeons within a half-hour of the hospital to have its Level 3 trauma status restored. The hospital gained that with a recent agreement with a group of orthopedists. Hospital officials said there's no way of knowing how many patients had to be turned away and taken to other hospitals, such as Beebe Medical Center in Lewes or Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, over the last two years. "It's become part of the normal process" of assessing and admitting patients, said Lisa Wile, Nanticoke's director of emergency services. Injuries that had to be treated elsewhere included compound fractures -- in which the bone is sticking through the skin -- or joint problems. Nanticoke was able to treat other injuries, such as bleeding, but then had to send patients elsewhere for the orthopedic surgery. Some emergency cases, such as massive head trauma, still will have to be transferred to hospitals with higher levels of trauma status, Wile said. In such cases, Nanticoke would stabilize the patient and have him or her transported to other facilities. The contract with North Carolina-based Delphi Healthcare Partners will bring surgeons Rafik Muawwad, Alexander Doman and Eric Bontempo on board as part of 24-hour on-call emergency coverage and consulting with patients admitted to the hospital. An outpatient clinic also will be set up for follow-up treatment. "You can't have trauma without orthopedics," said Steven Rose, Nanticoke's president and CEO. "This really just completes all the basic components we need as a community hospital." Luedtke said the change will help not only patients but also paramedics and ambulance attendants, who can take patients shorter distances and get back into service faster. "Turnaround time is important," he said. Milford Memorial Hospital also had its trauma status downgraded in 2007 because of an orthopedic shortage, but regained it a few months later. The shortages aren't unique to Delaware: Orthopedic surgeons top the list of specialists in highest demand, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. source: Delaware Online |
