CHI St. Joseph’s Health Designated as Level 4 Trauma Hospital

The Minnesota Department of Health recently designated CHI St. Joseph’s Health, Park Rapids, MN, as a Level 4 Trauma Hospital, and the hospital is now part of Minnesota’s statewide trauma system. The process included an outside review of the hospital’s resources and capabilities to care for trauma patients. CHI St. Joseph’s Health met standards for commitment, clinical and equipment resources, and staff training. The hospital also participates in a continuous performance improvement process.

For a severely injured person, the time between sustaining an injury and receiving care – the “golden hour” – is the most important predictor of survival. The chance of survival diminishes with time. However, the Minnesota state trauma system increases the chance of survival regardless of the patient’s proximity to an urban trauma hospital.

“Trauma is the third leading cause of death in Minnesota,” said state Commissioner of Health Edward Ehlinger. “The goal of the trauma system is to decrease injured patients’ time to care by making sure their medical needs are appropriately matched with hospital resources. With the designation of CHI St. Joseph’s Health as a level 4 trauma hospital, we are getting closer to our goal of ensuring that seriously injured Minnesotans have access to an organized system of trauma care wherever they are in the state.”