Accreditation Canada has awarded Fraser Health’s regional trauma services program with its highest honour – its coveted Trauma Distinction Award.
Accreditation Canada has awarded Fraser Health’s regional trauma services program with its highest honour – its coveted Trauma Distinction Award. This recognizes clinical excellence and the outstanding commitment to leadership in trauma services across the health authority and as part of the B.C. provincial trauma system.
“This distinction required a rigorous evaluation process with all of Fraser Health’s partners across twelve sites, and is evidence of the dedication of physicians and staff who provide high-quality trauma care to patients as part of provincial trauma services,” says Health Minister Terry Lake.
The accreditors evaluated key indicators such as the speed and effectiveness with which the trauma teams spring into action when patients come in, the program’s ability to triage patients so they get to the right place for the right care, and patients’ wait time for rehabilitation. Additionally, they interviewed current and past trauma patients about their experiences receiving care.
“This is recognition of our extraordinary network of health care professionals and services that provide specialized care to patients in the midst of some of the most devastating situations a person can experience,” says Dr. Iain MacPhail, Fraser Health’s Regional Medical Director for trauma services. “They not only provide incomparable trauma care, but are also champions of injury prevention, education and research.”
Each year, Fraser Health treats almost 130,000 trauma patients as part of the integrated B.C. trauma system – a coordinated network consisting of provincial health authorities and agencies committed to caring for the major trauma patient. Royal Columbian Hospital and Abbotsford Regional Hospital are Fraser Health’s regional referral centers for trauma care, which means they have dedicated physicians specifically trained in caring for the traumatically injured. As Fraser Health’s level 1 trauma centre, Royal Columbian Hospital is one of the busiest trauma centres in Canada.
This acknowledgment would not be possible without the support and cooperation of the region’s internal and external resources including BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), BC Ambulance Service and BC Patient Transfer Network, Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), Trauma Services BC, BC Trauma Registry, and our Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention experts. Surveyors from Accreditation Canada noted how cohesive Fraser Health’s trauma network is, demonstrating a system with clear engagement from all its partners
Background
What is trauma?
Trauma refers to physical injuries of sudden onset and severity that require immediate medical attention. Trauma often involves multiple injuries that span multiple body systems — for example, a patient who comes in with a brain injury, fractured bones, and an organ injury.
What is Trauma Distinction
Trauma distinction recognizes trauma systems that demonstrate clinical excellence and an outstanding commitment to leadership in trauma. Fraser Health is the second health authority in Canada to have successfully undergone this evaluation process. In May of this year, four of our hospitals had on-site evaluations (Royal Columbian, Abbotsford Regional, Chilliwack General and Fraser Canyon), while our remaining eight sites all participated via teleconference with the surveyors. The Accreditation Canada distinction applies to all of our trauma sites.
About Fraser Health's trauma program
Our Regional Trauma Program is a leader in trauma care provincially. It is a mature system with strong leadership at each trauma centre. During the site visits, we showcased our commitment to excellent patient care, ongoing quality improvement initiatives, and leadership in trauma systems.
Fraser Health is part of the integrated B.C. trauma system — a network consisting of provincial health authorities and agencies committed to providing the highest level of care to trauma patients. Royal Columbian and Abbotsford Regional hospitals are Fraser Health’s regional referral centres for trauma care.
In 2015/16, Fraser Health treated 128,785 trauma patients. Nearly 40 per cent of those were seen at Royal Columbian and Abbotsford Regional hospitals. The majority of these patients were male (58 per cent), and the leading causes of trauma injuries were fall-related (53 per cent), with motor vehicle related injuries coming in second (15 per cent).
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