Marin General Hospital Trauma Center Receives New Ten-Year Contract From County

Center also re-verified at Level III by American College of Surgeons

GREENBRAE, CA — Marin County has approved a new ten-year trauma contract with Marin General Hospital, the County’s only designated trauma center. 

“We are delighted that the County has signaled its confidence in the trauma care we deliver. Our partnership with Marin County Emergency Medical Services means that we will continue to provide high-quality trauma care for all of Marin County,” said Mary Jane Boyd, Director, Trauma Services at Marin General Hospital.  “As a community hospital, we are committed to meeting the healthcare needs of Marin County residents. Being able to access trauma care close to home may well be a life or death matter, so we maintain a team of board-certified emergency physicians, experienced emergency nurses, and other specially trained staff who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our trauma surgeons are all experienced in trauma surgery and are certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).”

Marin General Hospital also was recently re-verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The action recognizes that the hospital’s trauma center has all the capabilities listed in Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient, and confirms the hospital’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.

The verification process, established in 1987 and conducted by an ad hoc committee within the ACS Committee on Trauma (COT), is designed to promote the development of trauma centers that provide the full spectrum of care to address injured patient needs, from pre-hospitalization through rehabilitation. 

Marin General Hospital first received ACS verification in 2009, the first center in California and only hospital in Marin to voluntarily achieve this distinction. The COT does not designate trauma centers, which in Marin County is the function of the Marin County Emergency Medical Service. Instead, the ACS verification program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest quality trauma care. 

There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program, each of which has specific criteria that must be met. To receive verification for one of the five levels, hospitals undergo an onsite review by a team of experienced site reviewers, who use the current Resources for the Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual as a guide.

“Marin General Hospital functions more like a Level II Trauma Center than a Level III,” says Dr. Edward Alfrey, medical director of the Trauma Center. “For example, we have experienced neurosurgeons available 24/7, and the majority of patients requiring urgent or emergent surgery can be treated at Marin General, which matches the Level II requirement.”

Experienced trauma care is an important need for people of all ages in our community. Injury is the leading cause of death for people under the age of 44 in the US. Injury is also a major factor for seniors 65+ with more than one third experiencing falls annually. In addition, one third of all emergency department visits result from injury and eight percent of all hospital admissions.

“With the hospital’s full array of emergency services, including its Accredited Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center designation, Marin residents requiring emergency care can confidently receive their care locally,” says Dr. Alfrey. “It’s critical to understand that the first hour after an injury or trauma is the most critical (the Golden Hour)—quick assessment and treatment can save lives and prevent permanent disability. Marin General Hospital has the system to provide exceptional trauma care right here in Marin.”

About The American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College has over 72,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.

About Marin General Hospital

Marin General Hospital, located in Greenbrae, CA, is the only full-service, acute care hospital in Marin County. It is the only source in Marin County for many important services and programs including:

• Designated Trauma Center – experienced multidisciplinary team specializing in providing state-of-the-art trauma care 24/7
• Labor And Delivery Services – including a level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
• Full-Service Cancer Care – a nationally recognized cancer care program with survival rates exceeding the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) rates for breast and prostate cancers
• Comprehensive Heart and Vascular Care – the County’s only vascular and heart surgery, plus sophisticated care for A-fib
• Accredited Chest Pain Center – with a lifesaving door-to-treatment time of just 44 minutes, compared to the national average of 100 minutes
• Inpatient Pediatric Program – 24/7 board-certified pediatricians available for inpatient and emergency care
• Spine & Brain Institute – a single point of access to comprehensive spine and brain care, including emergency and elective brain and spine surgery
• Certified Primary Stroke Center – that can treat all types of stroke onsite
• Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Services – with treatment programs tailored to meet specific patient needs

For more information or a physician referral, please visit www.maringeneral.org, or call the Marin General Hospital Health Line at 1-888-99-MY-MGH (1-888-996-9644).