Trauma Center Upgrade

Is your hospital thinking of elevating the level of its current trauma program?

 

Diligent Consulting offers consulting services to guide and support hospital leaders as they elevate the level of a current trauma center. Most typically, this involves moving from Level III to Level II, moving from Level II to Level I, or voluntarily adding ACS verification to state designation.

 

We understand trauma center operations from the inside. Our team has walked side-by-side with hospital leaders who have successfully elevated existing centers to higher levels of designation. We can serve as a strategic advisor, dedicated project manager, coach and mentor to new leaders, and cross-department advocate. Our goal is not only to help you achieve your goal, but also to create a resilient, compliant, and high-performing trauma program that serves your community for years to come. 

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What Is Included in Trauma Center Upgrade Consulting Services?

 

Consulting services for trauma center upgrades cover a broad range of activities aimed at enhancing the current trauma center to meet more rigorous requirements of the higher level. These services typically include:​

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Gap Analysis of Level Requirements

Consultants will evaluate the current state of trauma care within the hospital against the state or American College of Surgeon (ACS) verification standards for the target level of trauma center. This comprehensive review includes: medical staff coverage, trauma program staffing, processes of care and capabilities, physician and nurse education competencies, existing guidelines and policies, and hospital and program leadership support. The goal is to identify gaps and create a road map for what comes next.​

 

Program Design and Planning  

Based on the needs assessment, consultants will develop a plan to get you to the next level. This includes concrete measures to address program gaps, make required infrastructure and process improvements, strengthen trauma program administration, plan for education and training, design injury prevention initiatives, work with revenue cycle to elevate trauma charges, and estimate expected financial performance. We also work with hospital and program administrators to set a timeline for elevating the program in a way that maximizes momentum but also allows ample time to get the work accomplished.

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If a trauma center is seeking Level I verification, it will also need to meet residency medical education and research requirements. See more about Trauma Research Support.

 

Guideline and Policy Development  

Effective trauma care relies on clear guidelines and policies, and buy-in across departments and disciplines is critical. Unfortunately, guideline development and approval can also be an unbelievably slow and cumbersome process as each department weighs in and adds their expertise. Consultants can assist in a project management role to keep the process moving, recommend or revise evidence-based guidelines that standardize care delivery, and ensure that the documents will ultimately comply with trauma verification standards. See more about Guideline Consulting Services.

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Data Management and Quality Improvement  

In some instances, a change in trauma center level may require additional trauma registry data requirements and add participation in the Trauma Quality Improvement Program. Consultants can help select a registry vendor (if necessary), set up data systems that align with best practices, define key performance improvement filters, and establish quality improvement processes to drive ongoing enhancements. Consultants can also serve as mentors as you begin elevating the performance improvement process at your hospital and are create a culture that is productive and nonpunitive.

 

Verification Support  

To earn verification for the higher level of trauma center, your hospital will need to be in full compliance with all requirements for a minimum of 15 months prior to the initial ACS verification survey. Trauma programs may also need to seek designation from a state or regional body. Consultants guide organizations through the verification and designation process, helping prepare documentation and meet standards, and provide support to staff who are going through the process for the first time. See more about Trauma Center Verification Support.

 

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What Are Some of the Greatest Challenges in Trauma Program Development?

It is hard work to elevate a trauma program. Some of the most common challenges include:

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Resistance to Change  

Staff may not be on board with increased requirements or may have preconceived ideas of how a higher level of trauma care will negatively impact their work. Some staff may be hesitant to adopt new protocols or meet trauma response time requirements. In these cases, consultants facilitate engagement, listen to concerns, and ensure consistent messaging to build buy-in.

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Medical Staff Unrest

The biggest lift in elevating from Level III to Level II is increasing the number of surgical and medical specialties providing 24/7 support and ensuring those specialties meet response time requirements. This is often met by medical staff with great resistance if it increases their call burden or puts pressure on their elective practices. Some physicians may have chosen to work at your hospital because it was not a higher-level trauma center and most physicians do not relish the thought of coming to the hospital in the middle of the night. This can manifest in physicians refusing to take trauma call or demanding more money to do so. Consultants can help guide hospital leadership through this process.

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Resistance from Other Trauma Centers

A higher-level trauma center will likely take away volume from nearby trauma centers or change referral patterns, which can cause those trauma centers to informally or formally challenge your new program. In the absence of a solid trauma system assessment, it is hard to forecast the impact of your trauma center on nearby trauma centers in terms of lost volume, changes in payor mix, or less revenue, but consultants can make estimates based on market norms to help ensure stability of the trauma system and other trauma centers.

 

Data Collection Difficulties  

Even though hospitals operate in an era of electronic medical records, it is insanely complicated to collect accurate trauma data. Elevating to a higher level of trauma center may require new software and systems, documentation improvements, and enhanced reporting capacities. None of these challenges have easy or quick solutions.

 

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How Can Diligent Consulting Help?

Organizations that invest in expert consulting will be better positioned to meet trauma program demands, provide high-quality trauma care, and achieve verification on schedule. Reach out today if you want to chat about this some more!

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