(Wynnewood, PA – September 9, 2015) — Following approval from the Main Line Health Board of Governors, Lankenau Medical Center (LMC), part of Main Line Health (MLH), has submitted a letter of intent to pursue Level II Trauma Center accreditation with the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF). After an assessment of community needs and discussions with key stakeholders and community leaders, LMC has identified a critical need to bring the specialized services associated with a Level II Trauma into the community.
“Today, Southern Montgomery County and Northern Delaware County lack access to local trauma services. Establishing a Level II Trauma Center on the Lankenau Medical Center campus in Wynnewood will enhance EMS responders’ ability to rapidly transport trauma victims to a nearby hospital for lifesaving treatment, allowing these patients to stay closer to family, friends and other sources of support,” said Phil Robinson, LMC president. “Additionally, having a Trauma Center nearby will greatly reduce the time Lankenau’s EMS partners are required to spend outside of their coverage area when transporting trauma patients.”
MLH is committed to reinvesting in its communities to provide access to the highest quality care. Due to a critical community need in Chester County, in 2010, MLH opened a Level II Trauma Center at Paoli Hospital to serve as the county’s only trauma center. Since its opening, the amount of time before a patient arrived to a trauma center was cut nearly in half (from 75 minutes to 35 minutes) greatly increasing the possibility of receiving lifesaving treatment within the Golden Hour (the first 60 minutes, in which a trauma victim has the best chance of survival). Additionally, the number of trauma flights leaving the county from the scene of the accident decreased from 500 to ten.
“The tremendous expertise and capabilities involved in the creation of a Trauma Center will be available to all Lankenau Medical Center patients, further enhancing quality of care across the continuum,” added John Schwarz, Vice President, Administration, LMC. “Most significantly, in the event of a major disaster, a trauma center is an invaluable community resource for saving lives.”
The accreditation process will take approximately fifteen months. The PTSF will perform an on-site survey in summer 2016 to review LMC’s application and capabilities.
About Lankenau Medical Center
Lankenau Medical Center, a member of Main Line Health, is recognized as a national leader in advancing new options to diagnose and treat illness, protect against disease and save lives. Located on a 93-acre suburban campus just outside of Philadelphia, the 389-bed, not-for-profit teaching hospital includes one of the nation’s leading cardiovascular centers; the Lankenau Institute of Medical Research, one of the few freestanding hospital-associated research centers in the nation; and the Annenberg Conference Center for Medical Education. Lankenau offers state-of-the-art services from cancer care to maternity care. Lankenau is ranked #7 in Pennsylvania and #4 in the Philadelphia metro area in US News & World Report’s Best Hospitals, is ranked nationally for diabetes and endocrinology, and is high-performing in 11 of 16 potential categories: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics, gynecology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. Lankenau has achieved The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care and breast cancer care and is one of the nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Lankenau has also been ranked for multiple years as one of the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the nation by Truven Health Analytics. Lankenau is one of only one percent of hospitals nationwide to earn Magnet® designation for the third time for its superior nursing staff. For more information about Lankenau Medical Center, visit mainlinehealth.org/lankenau.
