Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital Achieves Level I Pediatric Trauma Center Verification

New Brunswick, NJ – The Pediatric Trauma Center at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) has been verified as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT). RWJUH is the only state-designated Level I Trauma Center in New Jersey to have an ACS COT Level I Pediatric Trauma Program. BMSCH is part of the RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health network.

What Does Level I Pediatric Trauma Center Verification Signify?

Verified trauma centers must meet essential criteria ensuring trauma care capability and the highest level of institutional performance, as outlined by the ACS COT in its Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. New Jersey has designated three primary hospitals as Level 1 Trauma Centers capable of providing 24/7 comprehensive care for severe, life-threatening injuries. RWJUH is the first of these to achieve Level I verification from the ACS COT in both adult and pediatric trauma services.

Commitment to Pediatric Trauma Care

“Achieving verification as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center is the result of a collective commitment to excellence among many highly specialized disciplines on our academic medical campus to deliver the highest level of trauma care to children in our state,” says Steven Stylianos, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief at BMSCH and Professor and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS). “We are deeply grateful to all of our team members at BMSCH, our colleagues at RWJMS and our partners across the RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health network, who help us serve as a state and regional resource for acute pediatric trauma care, trauma education and injury prevention outreach.”

Arunachalam Thenappan, MD, Medical Director of BMSCH’s Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and Assistant Professor of Surgery at RWJMS, adds, “We are proud that the American College of Surgeons has recognized our team’s commitment to delivering a program that guides children and families through the entire continuum of trauma care. This includes first response in the field, pediatric trauma resuscitation, critical care and recovery with exceptional pediatric rehabilitation therapy at Children’s Specialized Hospital.”

Key Features of BMSCH’s Pediatric Trauma Program

• State-of-the-art trauma resuscitation bays with a stand-alone Pediatric Emergency Department staffed by highly skilled physicians, nurses, social workers and physical therapists specializing in advanced pediatric trauma and emergency care.
• A broad range of dedicated pediatric specialties, including anesthesia, neurosurgery, orthopedics, radiology/interventional radiology, pediatric intensivists, and rehabilitation medicine.
• A multidisciplinary, specialized, and sensitive approach to non-accidental trauma.
• An award-winning Injury Prevention Program focused on keeping New Jersey’s children safe.
• The largest Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the state, staffed by fellowship-trained pediatric intensivists 24/7.
• A state-of-the-art Center for Advanced Pediatric Surgery with dedicated pediatric operating rooms and pediatric peri-operative nursing teams.

The Importance of ACS Verification

The ACS Trauma Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program helps hospitals evaluate and improve their trauma care. It provides an objective, external review of a hospital’s resources and performance. Patients cared for in ACS-verified trauma centers have a lower risk of death and improved quality of life compared to those in non-verified centers. The ACS does not designate trauma centers; it verifies compliance with standards outlined in Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient.

As an ACS-verified trauma center, the Pediatric Trauma Program participates in the national quality benchmarking program as an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, demonstrating a dedication to consistently improving procedures and approaches.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 724-bed academic medical center in New Brunswick, New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute. RWJUH is home to the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked children’s hospital.