Anderson County Hospital receives Level IV Trauma designation

GARNETT, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced recently that Anderson County Hospital has been designated as a Level IV Trauma Center.

Level IV trauma centers are rural hospitals whose primary role is to stabilize seriously injured patients and, if necessary, transfer them to a higher level trauma center.  Hospitals that have achieved Level IV trauma center designation have demonstrated a commitment to providing optimal care for those who have been seriously injured.

“Trauma center designation is one component of a comprehensive statewide trauma system designed to get patients with life-threatening injuries to a hospital with the necessary resources,” said Robert Moser, M.D., KDHE secretary and state health officer. “We congratulate Anderson County Hospital of Garnett, Kansas, for serving as a vital resource when every second matters.”  

Designated trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance as outlined by the American College of Surgeons and endorsed by the Kansas Advisory Committee on Trauma.

There are four separate categories of designation by the Kansas Trauma Program. Each category has specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of designation. A trauma care system includes a network of hospitals providing a spectrum of care for injured patients.  Trauma center designations are based on the hospital’s care capability.

“The Level IV Trauma Center designation is testament to our team’s dedication to provide patients with the highest quality of care and expertise right here in our community,” Denny Hachenberg, CEO of Anderson County Hospital, said. “As part of Saint Luke’s Health System, we can assure our patients that we are able to meet their most urgent needs when every second counts.”

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in Kansas. KDHE’s Trauma Program works to ensure that those injured in Kansas have access to an organized system of trauma care that offers them the best chance of recovery.