About the Trauma Center
Caring for children who have been victims of trauma involves an entire team of specially trained health care providers. Each member of the team plays a role which he or she has learned and performed many times. The team includes trauma surgeons, physicians from several other specialties, nurses, social workers and rehabilitation therapists. All of these health care providers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have special expertise in pediatrics and trauma.
What is a Level 1 pediatric trauma center?
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was the first Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in eastern Pennsylvania. Children's Hospital has been accredited since 1986, the first year Pennsylvania had a process in place to formally review and accredit Trauma Centers.
We are accredited by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation, a non-profit organization formed by an Act of the Pennsylvania legislature. As a Trauma Center, we undergo a vigorous site survey at least every three years.
What does it take to be a pediatric Level 1 trauma center?
Ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to receive the most severely injured children
The most important component of treating a severely injured child is time. These children must be thoroughly evaluated quickly and completely. In addition, injuries are more likely to occur on weekends and in the evenings when other hospitals may have decreased staff.
- A highly organized system is in place to alert a specially trained team of healthcare providers for critically injured patients or those who, based on the type of trauma they have sustained, are suspected to be severely injured. When called, this team arrives in the emergency department within a matter of minutes.
- An operating room is always available in case it is needed, and the team of pediatric anesthesiologists and nurses specially trained in trauma are available at all times.
- The patient receives priority status for lab work and X-rays.
Specially trained healthcare team
All doctors and nurses who care for trauma patients in the emergency department, the operating room, the intensive care unit or on a surgical floor have special training and attend continuing education in pediatric trauma.
The healthcare team considers more than the immediate physical care of the patient:
- Trauma social workers are available to assist families in coping with the psychological impact of trauma.
- Rehabilitation of the patient is considered from the beginning of the patient's hospitalization. Rehabilitation may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and/or an evaluation by a rehabilitation physician. Plans may be made for care at home or in a pediatric rehabilitation hospital.
Quality improvement
The Trauma Center constantly evaluates itself, its staff and its programs to ensure that the best possible care is provided to all trauma patients.
Professional training
The Trauma Center shares its expertise with others by providing education to doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers, including those from adult trauma centers and non-trauma center hospitals and with prehospital care providers.
Injury prevention
Pediatric trauma centers teach ways to avoid becoming a trauma victim.
- We ensure that all children who have been injured learn ways to avoid future injuries.
- We teach all children and their parents about how to avoid becoming a trauma patient.
- We run a car seat program for low-income families to ensure that all children are properly restrained regardless of the family's income.
Research
As a Level I pediatric trauma center we conduct research to improve treatment and care for children who are victims of trauma and to discover ways to prevent children from becoming victims of trauma.
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