Saint Francis Hospital reverified as Level III Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons

Wilmington, Del. – (February 14, 2022) – Saint Francis Hospital is pleased to announce that it has been reverified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The verification is valid through July 2024.

Trauma centers verified by the COT must meet essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance.

Established by the ACS in 1987, the COT's Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers that 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 prehospital phase through the rehabilitation process.

“This achievement recognizes the Saint Francis trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients,” said Joseph Belgrade, MD medical director of the Trauma program at Saint Francis Hospital. “Our community can expect the highest level of service when coming to Saint Francis for emergency treatment.”

There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program. Each category has specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of verification. Hospitals seeking verification from the COT must undergo a comprehensive onsite review by a team of experienced site reviewers, to confirm compliance with the required criteria.

The ACS is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The ACS has over 72,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.