What is a NYS-Designated Trauma Center?

Trauma -- defined as an acute, life-threatening injury or illness -- is the leading cause of death among Americans under age 44. Common causes of trauma include motor vehicle accidents, burns, falls, gunshot wounds and sport injuries.

Winthrop-University Hospital is a NYS-Designated Regional Trauma Center.

It means the Hospital delivers the highest level of care to adults and children everyday -- around the clock -- and can handle the most serious types of injuries, including mass casualties.

Winthrop's Regional Trauma Center, which includes a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Unit, offers 24/7 in-house and on-call physician's coverage from a wide range of experienced specialists with access to advanced support services and the use of state-of-the-science facilities.

In addition to providing acutely injured and ill adults and children with the most advanced care to give them the best possible chance of survival and the fewest permanent disabilities, Winthrop's Trauma Center teaches the latest trauma care techniques to healthcare professionals and conducts trauma prevention and education programs for the community.

The Multidisciplinary Team

The Regional Trauma Center at Winthrop is staffed 24/7 by in-house specialists and on-call physicians, including:

Trauma Surgeons

Emergency Medicine Physicians

Neurosurgeons

Orthopaedic Surgeons

Anesthesiologists

Radiologists

Surgical Intensivists

Pediatric Intensivists

Trauma Nurses

The Center's Facilities

Winthrop's Regional Trauma Center operates in state-of-the-science facilities including:

Emergency Department, equipped with the most advanced technology and specially trained staff to provide optimal care for trauma patients

Pediatric Emergency Unit, a dedicated 10-bed unit with specially trained nursing and support staff to care for the special needs of children

Surgery Center, with 13-operating rooms the center is equipped to handle surgical cases at every level of difficulty and intensity including neurological, open-heart, abdominal and orthopaedic

Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), a technologically sophisticated state-of-the-art facility with highly trained staff that focuses on the care of the most critically injured patients

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), eight single-bed patient rooms with 24/7 coverage by board-certified Pediatric Critical Care or Emergency Medicine Specialists, advanced life support systems, and in-room sleeping accommodations for parents

Neuroscience Unit, a 14-bed unit designed to care for the most critically ill neurosurgical and stroke patients

Heliport to speed arrival and treatment of the most seriously injured

Decontamination capabilities for mass casualty crises

Support Services

The Center's team of specialists has 24/7 access to the Hospital's:

• Radiology Department
• Interventional Cardiology Center
• Laboratory & Blood Bank

Professional and Community Education/Outreach Programs

Winthrop's trauma specialists offer a variety of courses for professionals and classes for the community in order to improve trauma care and promote injury prevention.

Courses include
• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
• Trauma Nursing Core Curriculum (TNCC)
• Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)
• Quarterly EMS Continuing Medical Education (CME) Seminars

Community Education speakers address groups and organizations on a wide range of topics, including:

Senior Citizens
• Fall Prevention
• Medication Safety
• Pedestrian Safety
• Driving Safety

Children
• Playground Safety
• Bike Safety
• Pedestrian Safety
• Teenage Driving - Choices for Life

General
• Home Safety
• Cold Weather Safety
• Water & Sports Safety