Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers has been re-designated as a Level II Trauma Center by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

This means Morris Hospital has the necessary resources, including personnel and equipment, to diagnose and treat severely injured patients at all hours around the clock, including the availability of a trauma surgeon, surgical team and CT scan testing.

The process of caring for trauma patients begins with emergency medical services personnel in the field who are trained in identifying trauma cases. This enables emergency department personnel to set processes in place before the patient arrives at the hospital, including summoning the on-call trauma surgeon and surgical team so that a full staffed, functioning operating room can be assembled with just 30 minutes notice.

The emergency department at Morris Hospital has six board-certified emergency medicine physicians, along with certified trauma nurse specialists trained in advanced trauma care, emergency pediatric care and advanced cardiac life support.

The trauma surgeons and emergency physicians at Morris Hospital meet regularly to review each trauma case. Dr. Kristopher Oswalt, a general surgeon based in Morris, serves as chair of the Morris Hospital Trauma Committee.

As a Level II trauma center, Morris Hospital also teaches staff at area schools how to control bleeding through a lifesaving program called “Stop the Bleed” and participates in injury prevention programs throughout the community.