Geisinger Holy Spirit named Level II trauma center

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The new designation takes effect Sept. 1.

It acknowledges that the Cumberland County hospital, which this spring completed a $32 million upgrade of its emergency department, is prepared at all times to treat the most serious life-threatening and disabling traumatic injuries, such as those caused by motor vehicle crashes, falls and acts of violence. 

That makes it the fourth Geisinger facility to receive adult trauma designation, and the fourth accredited trauma facility in the midstate. The others are WellSpan Health’s York Hospital, Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

There are 15 Level II trauma centers in Pennsylvania.

“The Trauma Center at Geisinger Holy Spirit will save critical minutes for area patients suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries,” chief administrative officer Kyle Snyder said.

The hospital is located in East Pennsboro Township, about three miles west of downtown Harrisburg.

Trauma center levels

There are four levels of trauma centers in the state, accredited by the Camp Hill-based foundation. Standards are based on the latest edition of the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient.

The higher the number, the more advanced the services:

• Level IV centers are able to provide initial care and stabilization of traumatic injury while arranging transfer to a higher level of trauma care.

• Level III centers are smaller community hospitals that have services to care for patients with moderate injuries and the ability to stabilize the severe trauma patient in preparation for transport to a higher level trauma center. Level III trauma centers do not require neurosurgical resources.

• Levels I and II both provide advanced care and expertise for trauma patients. A Level I trauma center is required to perform research, have a surgical residency program, and serve an annual volume of 600 major trauma patients. A Level II trauma center must have an annual major trauma patient volume of 350.

Holy Spirit’s facilities

The newly renovated and expanded John R. Dietz Emergency Center at Geisinger Holy Spirit, which opened this spring, includes a dedicated unit for trauma patients and a rooftop helipad atop the two-story addition to accommodate medical flights.

Features of the new facility include three new triage rooms, two new seclusion rooms, a new waiting room and registration area and 31 new and renovated patient rooms, as well as a dedicated trauma services elevator.

Geisinger Holy Spirit’s trauma team includes a trauma/critical care physician, an emergency medicine physician, neurosurgeons and orthopaedic traumatologists who are supported by surgical and non-surgical specialists and staff from anesthesia, radiology and interventional radiology.

“Our physicians and staff also provide community education programs, trauma prevention programs, follow-up to hospitals that transfer patients, and outreach to outside facilities to improve trauma care in the community,” trauma operations manager Paige Jordan said.