Southcoast Health to establish trauma center at St. Luke’s Hospital

NEW BEDFORD — Southcoast Health announced Monday plans to establish a Level II Trauma Center at St. Luke’s Hospital.

“We all know how important every minute — every second — counts when someone is badly injured,” said Keith Hovan, CEO of Southcoast Health, in a statement. “No one is more acutely aware of this than our region’s EMS providers, which is why I was delighted to share this information with them this morning.”

Hovan made the announcement at Southcoast Health’s annual EMS provider breakfast, which is held every year during National EMS Week to honor fire chiefs and other leaders of emergency medical services for their work in ensuring that the region has expert and timely emergency care.

“The development of a Level II Trauma Center at St. Luke’s will continue our mission of providing world class care close to home for our patients and communities here in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island,” Hovan said. Some patients are currently taken to the Trauma Center at Rhode Island Hospital.

A Level II trauma center has the capability to see any type of trauma patient and has the same clinical capabilities of a Level I trauma center. A level II center is also not required to conduct research and have academic surgical residency programs. Establishing a Level II Trauma Center, centrally located in the region at St. Luke’s Hospital, will meet a critical community need, according to a news release.

Becoming a Level II Trauma Center is a rigorous process, which must be verified by the American College of Surgeons and approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. To begin this work, St. Luke’s Hospital has been recruiting leaders and providers who will lead this initiative. Key to this effort will be Southcoast’s new Chief of Trauma Surgery Dr. Michael Grossman, according to the release.

"Dr. Grossman is a skilled and experienced trauma surgeon and leader, having established two trauma centers — one in New York and one in Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Rayford Kruger, Chief of Surgery for Southcoast Health. “Building an expert team will be crucial to the formation of a well-designed trauma program that meets the needs of our patients.”

“I am very excited to be leading the effort to establish St. Luke’s as a trauma center,” said Grossman. “This is an exciting opportunity for the region and I am thrilled to play a key role at an esteemed organization to make this a reality for the patients of Southeastern Massachusetts.”

St. Luke’s Hospital will be required to submit data to the National Trauma Data Bank and Massachusetts Department of Public Health regarding treatment of trauma patients to be verified and accredited as a Level II Trauma Center. The process will take approximately 18 months to two years.