Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Trauma Program Re-Accredited

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For Immediate Release

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Trauma Program Re-Accredited

Pittsburgh, Pa. - October 4, 2004 -

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Benedum Pediatric Trauma Program - one of the busiest pediatric trauma centers in the nation - has been re-accredited by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) as a result of its demonstrated compliance with the statewide trauma care standards. Children's is the region's only accredited Pediatric Regional Resource Trauma Center.

The PTSF, created in 1984, established guidelines to stimulate continuous and systematic improvement in the quality of care provided by the state trauma centers. The foundation conducted an on-site survey at Children's this summer. Children's has received accreditation through Sept. 30, 2007.

"The Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation's survey team has confirmed the quality of our program and our commitment to the care of injured children in western Pennsylvania and throughout the region," said Barbara A. Gaines, MD, director of the Benedum Pediatric Trauma Center and a pediatric surgeon at Children's.

"Children who are critically injured have unique needs that are best met at a pediatric trauma center that can offer a full complement of pediatric services," Dr. Gaines said. "Around the clock, Children's has a trauma team of specialists from pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedic and cardiac surgery, as well as pediatric intensivists and anesthesiologists, ready to provide critical and live-saving care to injured children."

PTSF surveyors noted the key strengths of Children's program including "pediatric clinical care, administrative commitment, research and injury prevention programs, enthusiastic and well trained trauma program staff, and experienced and dedicated nursing staff."

More than 55,000 children were treated last year through the Children's Hospital children admitted for traumatic injuries.

Children's is one of only three Pediatric Regional Resource Trauma Centers in the state accredited by the PTSF. The others receiving re-accreditation are St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Contacts:
Marc Lukasiak, 412-692-5016, Marc.Lukasiak@chp.edu
Melanie Finnigan, 412-692-5016, Melanie.Finnigan@chp.edu

Last Update
February 19, 2008

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