Atrium Health Navicent Trauma Medical Director Reappointed to Georgia Trauma Commission
Dr. Dennis W. Ashley has served as Georgia Trauma Commission chairman since 2007
Gov. Brian P. Kemp has reappointed Dr. Dennis W. Ashley, medical director of Trauma Services at Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center, to serve as a member of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission. Ashley has served as the commission’s chairman since the group’s founding in 2007. His term will last four years.
“Atrium Health Navicent is proud to have been a statewide leader in Georgia trauma care, including being the first verified American College of Surgeons Level I Trauma Center in Georgia under the leadership of Dr. Ashley. His experience as a trauma surgeon and healthcare leader will continue to benefit our citizens and healthcare entities,” said Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley.
The Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission was created by the Georgia Legislature in 2007 to establish, maintain, and administer a trauma center network to coordinate trauma facilities across the state. Atrium Heath Navicent The Medical Center is central and south Georgia’s only adult Level I trauma center verified by the American College of Surgeons and one of only five adult Level I trauma centers in the state.
“I am honored to be reappointed to the Georgia Trauma Commission and to have a role in ensuring patients receive excellent care and treatment for traumatic injuries,” said Ashley, who also serves as the Will C. Sealy Endowed Chair and Professor in the Department of Surgery at Mercer University School of Medicine.
During Ashley’s tenure, the Commission has worked closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma to increase the number of trauma centers in Georgia. The Commission has also focused on quality throughout the trauma center network and has been nationally recognized for their statewide quality initiatives. Ashley has also had a strong focus on research and the commission has published several papers on Georgia’s trauma system development.
Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center has been designated a Level I Trauma Center by the State of Georgia since 1998. In 2016, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center was verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) as an adult Level I trauma center. Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the ACS Committee on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual.
Atrium Health Navicent’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 and is able to provide the most sophisticated level of care for trauma patients. In addition, as a Level I trauma center, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center leads the field in research and provides training for future surgeons through residency and fellowship programs.
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and well-being through compassionate care. 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.