Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center Achieves Redesignation as Level I Trauma Center

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center has achieved redesignation as an American College of Surgeons (ACS) verified Level I trauma center. The Medical Center was originally designated as a state Level I trauma center by the Georgia Department of Public Health in 1998. In 2016, it was nationally verified by ACS.

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is central and south Georgia’s only adult Level I trauma center and one of only five adult Level I trauma centers in Georgia.

“Achieving redesignation as a Level I trauma center is a reflection of our team’s continued commitment to providing excellent health care for Georgia’s most critically injured patients,” said Atrium Health Navicent President Delvecchio Finley. “By exceeding the highest standards set for redesignation, patients can trust that our team is prepared not just to treat their injury, but to also address the full spectrum of their needs.”

ACS is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 and is dedicated to improving the care of surgical patients and to safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment.

Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the Committee on Trauma’s (COT’s) Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants 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.

In 2016, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center became the only adult Level I trauma center in the state to receive this national verification by the American College of Surgeons. Currently, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is one of only 184 ACS-verified adult Level I trauma centers in the United States.

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center’s Level I trauma team, comprised of numerous surgeons in various specialties as well as highly-trained and specialized clinicians, is available 24 hours per day to provide the most sophisticated level of care for trauma patients. In addition, as an adult Level I trauma center, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center participates in research and provides training for future surgeons through residency and fellowship programs.

“The trauma team at Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center seeks to be the best, and to obtain the highest level of achievement, ensuring our patients receive the best care,” said Dr. Dennis Ashley, director of Trauma for Atrium Health Navient The Medical Center, Will C. Sealy endowed chair and professor of surgery for Mercer University School of Medicine and Georgia Trauma Commission chair. “Our achieving redesignation as an adult Level I trauma center is a tremendous benefit for patients across our 22-county primary coverage area and beyond.”

About Atrium Health Navicent

Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent is part of Advocate Health, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 team members across 67 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $5 billion in annual community benefits.