Trauma

We know how important it is to have a patient treated within the first hour of an injury. Currently, we’re focusing on the state of Florida, because unfortunately when accidents, hurricanes and other unforeseen events happen in Florida, only 38 percent of those trauma patients actually receive care in a designated trauma center. We’ve partnered with the University of South Florida (USF) with the vision to create a statewide trauma network of Level II Trauma Centers at five HCA hospitals, and we need the best and brightest trauma surgeons, critical care, burn, and orthopedic specialists to make it a reality. Would that be you? If so, check our list of Orthopedic Trauma openings, and Trauma Surgery openings.

The trauma program at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center in St. Lucie County has been the first out of the five to open and is already planning to expand to a Level I Trauma Center. Trauma centers will also be located at the following hospitals:

Three additional HCA facilities in Florida have applied for Level II Trauma Center privileges: Osceola Regional Medical Center (Kissimmee); Ocala Regional Medical Center (Marion County), and Mercy Hospital (Dade County).

We are looking for trauma specialists with not only expertise but passion for that “golden hour” of treatment and who want to be part of a team that will be poised and ready to respond quickly. For that reason, the trauma surgeons at each center will be credentialed and follow the same procedures so they can be more mobile during times of disaster, such as a hurricane. Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, MSHA, FACP, FACMI, President, Clinical and Physician Services Group and Chief Medical Officer at HCA says, “It is absolutely critical that we expand access to trauma care. All patients benefit from the collaboration, energy and medical expertise a trauma program brings to a hospital and to a community.” Watch more from Dr. Perlin.

In addition to all of the benefits for the community, the trauma network will be providing trauma research data to a centralized analysis center at USF Health, the Florida Trauma Research and Analysis Center (TRAC), and will help identify trends. “Trends that might not be identified by looking at one hospital’s data may show up by looking at five,” said David J. Smith Jr., MD, chair of the USF Department of Surgery. “Florida TRAC will help doctors learn how to better treat trauma patients, whether they are injured in car crashes or suffering from heart attacks.”

Of course we have high-acuity trauma centers all over the country, not just in Florida, and we’re just as dedicated to providing quality trauma services to the communities in those locations. Check the Orthopedic Trauma listings, and Trauma Surgery jobs listings for openings at any of our HCA hospitals.