TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Memorial Hospital has received final approval from the Florida Department of Health affirming the hospital has earned its spot as a certified Level II Trauma Center.
The news comes after the state health department adopted recommendations by an administrative law judge who ruled Memorial Hospital’s trauma center application met the applicable standards.
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“We are delighted that the state has recognized the hard work, specialized training and life-saving care that we’ve been able to provide to our patients who have come to us when they need us most,” said Dr. Michael Samotowka, Trauma Medical Director at Memorial Hospital. “As caregivers, we know every minute matters in the golden hour following a trauma and this ruling allows us to continue to provide life-saving care to people in our community.”
The Department of Health issued a final order rejecting a challenge Memorial's trauma center, after Administrative Law Judge Robert Cohen ruled against UF Health Jacksonville, which has long operated a trauma center and filed a challenge to Memorial's application.
As a Level II trauma center, Memorial Hospital provides 24-hour immediate access to a dedicated operating room for trauma patients and specially-trained surgeons, specialists and staff to treat critically-injured patients. Treating trauma patients effectively means having the right level of expertise with a team specifically-trained to handle major medical emergencies. It also means having the support of elected officials and EMS partners, Memorial officials said.
“It is well documented that trauma patients have a 25 percent higher rate of survival if they are treated at a specialized trauma center rather than a non-trauma ER, and we are so grateful for the support of our local leaders who realize the importance of trauma care,” said Bradley S. Talbert, President & CEO of Memorial Hospital. “Their endorsement in addition to that of the local fire and rescue teams, has helped make this a reality for our community.”
The Department of Health last year gave what is known as “provisional” approval for Memorial to open a trauma center.
UF Health Jacksonville challenged the approval on a series of grounds, including whether a “slot” was available in the state trauma system to open another trauma facility in Northeast Florida.
But Cohen, in issuing his recommended order June 13, concluded that “Memorial met its burden of establishing that its trauma center application met the applicable standards” and rejected UF Health Jacksonville’s argument that the department improperly gave approval to the Memorial trauma center without an available slot.
Under administrative law, Cohen’s ruling had to go back to the Department of Health for final action.
The case was one of numerous legal battles in the hospital industry in recent years about whether trauma centers should be allowed to open.
Lawmakers passed a measure this year aimed at resolving most of the disputes, but the Memorial case continued. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill, which changed a longstanding state law capping the number of trauma centers allowed in the state.
The bill changed the number of trauma service areas from 19 to 18 and allows up to five centers in each area.
The news comes just as the hospital is celebrating the grand reopening of its newly renovated and expanded ER and newly constructed rooftop helipad, which was designed to provide faster access to care, especially for trauma patients. Memorial Hospital began treating patients in the newly renovated ER space Tuesday.