WALTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER DESIGNATED AS LEVEL III TRAUMA CENTER FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA

(Monroe, GA)  The State of Georgia Trauma Designation Team consisting of Dr. Patrick O’Neil, State Office of Emergency Preparedness,  Dr. Vernon Henderson, Trauma Medical Director of Atlanta Medical Center and Renee’ Morgan, Trauma Systems Manager has designated Walton Regional Medical Center as a Level III Trauma Center, currently the only one in the state.  WRMC had previously been designated as a Level IV trauma center.  This increase in level of designation will provide Walton with additional funding from the State to buy needed supplies such as:  state of the art monitoring systems, additional stretchers, surgical equipment, and other items to care for trauma patients as well as other critical care patients.   “During their recent visit to WRMC, the Designation Team was impressed with our ability to care for all patients who presented to Walton whether we admitted the patient or transferred them to a higher level of care,” said Gary Lang, CEO of WRMC.

Currently, the State of Georgia is actively pursuing an organized trauma system as most hospitals with an emergency room are not trauma centers. In Georgia, only 15 of the state's 152 acute-care hospitals are - an alarmingly inadequate number. Georgia should have approximately 25-30 designated trauma centers in strategic locations to adequately address trauma and emergency preparedness needs.