ER Trauma Care
The Frank Varischetti Trauma Center
Trauma injuries require specialized emergency care as they have a high risk of death. They include serious injuries from automobile collisions, severe burns, brain injuries, gunshot wounds, and serious injuries resulting from falls. Penn Highlands emergency rooms are equipped to stabilize and transfer the most serious trauma patients to the nearest Pennsylvania trauma center.
Penn Highlands DuBois has been accredited as a Level II Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF), effective August 1, 2023, for the benefit of patients in the region.
It is the only Level II Trauma Center in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
What is an ER Trauma?
A trauma that warrants a visit to the ER involves the most serious injuries that require a specialized type of immediate and very high-level emergency medicine. Penn Highlands emergency rooms are equipped to stabilize traumatic injuries and provide life support while arranging to transport patients to one of the nearest available Pennsylvania trauma center at Penn Highlands DuBois. Penn Highlands DuBois has been accredited as a Level II Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF), effective August 1, 2023, to be able to treat the most critical trauma patients.
What is a Trauma Center Hospital?
A trauma center hospital is a hospital that offers nurses, physicians, and surgeons who are specially trained in ER trauma care. There are four levels of Pennsylvania trauma centers:
- Level I trauma centers offer the most comprehensive trauma care and treat hundreds of patients every year. Level I trauma centers have the capabilities to treat every type of trauma. These types of Pennsylvania trauma centers also conduct research and teaching around trauma care.
- Level II trauma centers are similar to Level I centers but do not conduct research or teaching. Penn Highlands DuBois has been accredited as a Level II Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF), effective August 1, 2023.
- Level III trauma centers have the capability to care for many trauma patients and are also skilled at stabilizing patients so they can be transferred to a higher level trauma center
- Level IV trauma centers are equipped to provide life support before transferring patients to a higher-level center.
Why did Penn Highlands DuBois Become one of Pennsylvania's Trauma Centers?
Penn Highlands is always committed to providing the best care for patients throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania. Penn Highlands DuBois recently completed the process of becoming a Level II Trauma Center so that many patients who face an ER trauma injury no longer have to be stabilized and transferred out of the area. Transferring patients outside of the Penn Highlands system and Northwestern Pennsylvania creates physical and emotional hardships as well as travel complications for family members. Delays in care also can jeopardize the patient’s condition. With Penn Highlands DuBois being accredited as a Level II Trauma Center, trauma patients and their families will be able to receive the best in trauma care closer to home.
When Did DuBois Become a Trauma Center Hospital?
Penn Highlands DuBois has been accredited as a Level II Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF), effective August 1, 2023. As part of the process to become a trauma center hospital, DuBois created a new two-floor emergency department with a neuro/trauma critical care unit as well as expanded its current ED from 14 ED bays to 26 ED bays. A new helipad also has been added to accommodate the transfer of trauma patients to Penn Highlands DuBois.
What is the Difference Between an Emergency Room and a Trauma Center?
An emergency is staffed with highly trained medical staff to triage and/or treat a range of illnesses and injuries, from heart attacks to broken bones. A trauma center is specifically equipped to treat the severest of injuries that could potentially result in death without the proper trauma expertise and has specialists, such as orthopedic surgeons, on call who can reach the hospital within minutes. A trauma center has all of the capabilities and equipment to provide life-saving trauma care whereas an emergency room may not have the ability to provide immediate interventions like a trauma center.
Who provides care in a Trauma Center?
At Penn Highlands Healthcare, the Level II Trauma Center is staffed by a multidisciplinary team with the advanced knowledge and skills to provide care to patients who require complex interventions. The trauma team includes: trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic trauma surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, critical care nurses, radiologists, respiratory therapists, case managers and other specialists as necessary.
How are Trauma Injuries Handled in the ER when someone Calls 9-1-1?
Paramedics usually are the first to aid trauma victims. These medical professionals are trained to determine if your injuries can be treated in an emergency room or if you need a specialized trauma center. Based on the severity of your injury and the distance to the nearest Pennsylvania trauma center, you may be taken to the closest emergency room to have your condition stabilized and then you may be transferred to the nearest Pennsylvania trauma center.
Where are Pennsylvania Trauma Centers?
Pennsylvania trauma centers are located primarily on each side of the state. However, prior to Penn Highlands DuBois Level II Trauma Center, many patients in Northwestern Pennsylvania had to be transported out of the region for trauma care. There are currently 50 trauma center hospitals in Pennsylvania that have some type of trauma designation.
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Huntingdon Emergency Group PC
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Hospital Medicine
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Penn Highlands Mon Valley
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Brookville
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Orthopedic Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Orthopedic Trauma
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands General Surgery - Clearfield
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Orthopedic Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Orthopedic Trauma
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands General Surgery - Clearfield
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Hospital Medicine
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Penn Highlands Mon Valley
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Surgical Critical Care
Trauma Surgery
Penn Highlands General Surgery - Clearfield
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Penn Highlands Trauma Services - DuBois
A Service of Penn Highlands DuBois
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Connellsville
Emergency Department - Mon Valley
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Urgent Care
QCare Huntingdon
A Service of Penn Highlands Huntingdon
Huntingdon Emergency Group PC
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - State College
Emergency Department - Elk
Emergency Department and Trauma Center- DuBois
Emergency Department - Tyrone
Emergency Department - Brookville
Emergency Department - Clearfield
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Department - Huntingdon
Emergency Department - Clearfield
What is Orthopedic Trauma?
A traumatic event such as a severe accident, injury or fall that causes a fracture, dislocation or tear often requires surgical intervention from an orthopedic trauma specialist. Orthopedic trauma is a specialty branch of orthopedic surgery focusing on acute traumatic problems of the bones, joints, and soft tissues of the entire body (muscles, tendons, ligaments). The main goal of this specialty is restoring the anatomic alignment of the affected body part (joint surfaces, pelvis, and long bones) to allow proper bone healing, recovery and return to maximum functional capacity as early as possible.
The orthopedic trauma team serving the Penn Highlands DuBois Level II Trauma Center treats acute and complex traumatic problems of the bones, joints, and soft tissues that are a direct consequence of a severe accident, injury or fall. This immediate intervention from an expert trauma specialist can help reduce loss of limb and further life-altering complications.
What is an Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon?
When a severe injury or accident occurs, you want the skills and experience of a fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeon. Orthopedic trauma surgeons have completed a dedicated fellowship to learn how to treat patients with multiple injuries in the best possible way. They work to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
In the hospital and particularly the Emergency Department (usually at Level I or II Trauma Center), an orthopedic trauma surgeon works closely with the general trauma surgeon, who is primarily responsible for the resuscitation and stabilization of a patient who has sustained life-threatening injuries. The orthopedic trauma surgeon will assist with the management and treatment of injuries to the extremities, pelvis, joints, and soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, and tendons).
