Hospital passes trauma designation audit with zero deficiencies
Hillsdale Hospital recently achieved Level IV trauma designation from the State of Michigan. The official designation was granted after a comprehensive audit of the hospital’s emergency operations, policies and staffing. As a Level IV trauma center, Hillsdale provides advanced trauma life support (ATLS), critical care and surgical services, and a comprehensive quality assessment program, among other requirements for the designation.
The program to achieve trauma designation was led by William Morgan, DO, as the trauma medical director, and Clinical Nurse Manager of Emergency Services Valerie Hepker as the trauma coordinator. After several setbacks including the COVID-19 pandemic and cancelled surveys, the audit took place earlier this year, resulting in a formal recommendation to the state for the designation to be granted.
L to R: President & CEO Jeremiah J Hodshire, Trauma Medical Director & General Surgeon Dr. William Morgan, Trauma Coordinator & Clinical Nurse Manager of Emergency Services Valerie Hepker
“This has been an amazing accomplishment from everyone on the trauma team: our nurses, radiology department, trauma surgeons, orthopedics, and of course, the emergency department,” said Dr. Morgan. “The designation cements our facility’s ability to continue to serve the needs of Hillsdale. I am excited to showcase the hard work of everyone here at Hillsdale Hospital in providing high quality care to injured patients in our community.”
“Earning our Level IV trauma designation is a proud moment for our hospital and the entire community,” said Valerie Hepker, clinical nurse manager of emergency services. “It represents months of dedicated work by our staff—from training to process improvements—all with one goal in mind: being ready when our community needs us most. In a rural area like ours, being able to provide this level of emergency care close to home makes all the difference!”
Among the praise given to the hospital, the surveyors called out strengths such as administrative support, trauma management, charting, patient fall prevention, community programs and more. The surveyors also expressed
appreciation for the regional work Hillsdale Hospital does on a regular basis. Trauma designation allows the hospital to participate in several statewide programs and initiatives while continuing to offer excellent emergency care to patients.
“This designation is the result of years of work completed by our clinical and administrative teams,” s
aid Jeremiah J. Hodshire, president and chief executive officer. “Dr. Morgan’s clinical acumen, program oversight and collaboration with providers, as well as his development of trauma-specific protocols has served to set us apart as a healthcare provider. Valerie Hepker was right beside him every step, ensuring the success of her team and coordinating paperwork, meetings and cross walks of our facility. Their teamwork and passion to make Hillsdale Hospital a center of excellence has been rewarded, and we’re thrilled to be known as a high-performing trauma response facility.”
Learn more about Hillsdale Hospital’s emergency department at hillsdalehospital.com/ER.
