Accreditation as a Level IV trauma center assures the public that St. Luke’s Quakertown  Emergency Department physicians and staff are well equipped to evaluate and treat trauma patients and rapidly transfer those patients requiring a higher level of trauma care.

“We are extremely proud to be able to provide these needed services and ensure that excellent trauma care is delivered close to home,” Vicky Lazansky, DO, Emergency Department Director and Trauma Program Medical Director at St. Luke’s Quakertown Campus, said. “This achievement speaks volumes about the commitment of our employees to provide great patient care, and it is a testament to our commitment to the communities we serve.”

William S. Hoff, MD, Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery for St. Luke’s University Health Network, believes the Quakertown accreditation will serve the region well.

“Level IV Trauma Centers continue to fill a critical need especially in Pennsylvania, a state that contains so many less populated areas.

“Earning this designation means patients in Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery counties can be seen by a trauma team more quickly because they don’t have to be transported as far. Using a local trauma center decreases travel time for EMS and provides paramedics better turn-around-time. This allows them to serve the local community more efficiently and effectively,” Hoff said.

St. Luke’s University Health Network includes a total of three trauma centers: St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem has been a Level I Trauma Center for almost 20 years, St. Luke’s Miners Campus in Coaldale was named the first Level IV Trauma Center in Pennsylvania in 2013, and now St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital.

Trauma centers provide specialized medical services and resources to patients suffering from traumatic injuries. Appropriate treatment has been shown to reduce the likelihood of death or permanent disability to injured patients.

“The people of our community can be assured they are receiving the highest level of care at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital,” Nawrocki said. “Achieving Level IV Trauma Center status is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to the Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery County communities where we continue to fulfill our mission of providing quality care close to home.”