WMMC Celebrates Level III Trauma Center Designation

Warrensburg, MO (Jan. 19, 2017)—Western Missouri Medical Center (WMMC) hosted area residents and organizations on Thursday, Jan. 19, for a Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the recent designation as a Level III Trauma Center.

This designation means that WMMC is prepared to treat serious injuries 24-hours-a-day with doctors and nurses trained to provide the best possible care in emergency situations. Unintentional injury or trauma is the fifth leading cause of death in Missouri. It is also cited as the most frequent cause of visits to the emergency department. Timely care is crucial for serious injury in order to reduce disability and improve outcomes.

“Offering the best possible care, in any situation is critical to our patients,” said Darinda Reberry, WMMC President and Chief Executive Officer. “With a Level III Trauma Designation comes our commitment and dedication to providing our community with the best, 24-hour emergency care. The benefit to our patients is that WMMC is equipped with the tools, processes and professional experience required to handle those emergency situations. Time is crucial in any emergency, and now our community has a higher level of care, right here closer to home.”

Severe injury requires prompt care for the best outcomes in recovery and survival. Missouri’s Time Critical Diagnosis (TCD) designation system helps first responders identify nearby hospitals that are equipped to treat time critical patients. Missouri’s TCD designation system was created by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in partnership with the Missouri Foundation for Health and over 400 healthcare and emergency professionals across the state. Missouri hospitals can apply for TCD designation in three time critical areas: stroke, STEMI and trauma.

“Trauma is the number one cause of death for patients from age one to age 46,” said Rob Kenney, DO, WMMC Trauma Program Director and General Surgeon. “Because it is the number one cause of quality life years lost for patients, trauma is an important public health issue in the United States. Further, we are in a rural area, and rural trauma patients particularly have a higher rate of death from trauma. In fact, there is a 22 percent higher risk of mortality life loss rate if you are injured in a rural area versus an urban area, so it is especially important that we have a trauma center in Johnson County. It is also important to help facilitate a trauma center and program to enhance the health of patients here in Johnson county and surrounding areas. Thank you to administration for recognizing this need and supporting it, and special thanks to all the staff for the countless hours dedicated to building this program.”

WMMC hosted more than 50 residents from various organizations and the community to celebrate this recent designation. To learn more, visit WMMC.com.

Western Missouri Medical Center (WMMC) is a fully-accredited acute care county medical center located in Warrensburg, MO. WMMC prides itself in emergency care, obstetrics, orthopedic and general surgery, family healthcare, internal medicine, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care, rehabilitation services and more. Inpatient services include medical, surgical, intensive, obstetrical, orthopedic, pediatric and skilled nursing care, as well as a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic outpatient services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tara Carlyle
Director of Marketing and Business Development
(660) 262-7497
tcarlyle@wmmc.com