The Houston Northwest Medical Center, located at 710 FM 1960 W., Houston, will begin its pursuit of Level II trauma center status on May 1, hospital officials announced this week.

Spring and Klein residents in need of trauma care must currently travel to the Texas Medical Center in Downtown Houston or to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center to reach a nearby hospital with Level II trauma center certification.

"When you look at our community, we are situated in the geographic center of North Houston, right on I-45, halfway between Beltway 8 and the Grand Parkway," HNMC Chief Executive Officer Tim Puthoff said.
"Our EMS partners have been wanting to advance our trauma capabilities so they don’t have to drive patients up to The Woodlands or down to the [Texas] Medical Center, so it made perfect sense for our community, and it made sense for our hospital."

Puthoff said the hospital received Level III status 11 years ago. One of the main differences between the two levels of certification is the availability of trauma surgeons and their response time.

"The biggest change operationally is that we will have trauma surgeons 24/7," Puthoff said. "Before, they were on call [and] they would have to drive in. We will [now] have immediate response from a surgical standpoint."

A Level III facility must provide a trauma surgeon within 30 minutes, but a Level II facility provides trauma surgeons within 15 minutes, said HNMC Trauma Program Manager Leanne Beaudet. A Level II facility also must have specialists available in a range of specialties, including orthopedics, neurosurgery, urology, obstetricians, cardiovascular surgery and other fields.

Dr. Shiree A. Berry, interim trauma medical director for HNMC, said the facility has hired an additional 12 surgeons and will need to make additional hires to fulfill the Level II requirements. It will also work with a blood bank to ensure that it can provide needed blood products for patients, she said.

The process of achieving certification takes about 18 months, Puthoff said. The hospital must receive certification from the American College of Surgeons and then from the Texas Department of State Health Services, he said.

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center received Level II trauma center certification in January.

If certification is reached, HNMC would give residents in North Houston another option for emergency care, officials said.

"[We can] take care of all those patients quickly and they won’t have to go all the way downtown," Berry said.

Examples of traumatic injuries include blunt or penetrating injuries, such as those received from a fall, a car accident, gunshot wound or stab wound, Berry said.

May is National Trauma Awareness Month, making it a significant time period in which to launch the effort to achieve Level II designation, Beaudet said.

HNMC was purchased by HCA Gulf Coast Division Trauma Care Network last year.

"Our dedication to superior trauma care is critical to the health of residents of the greater Houston area," HCA said in a statement. "We know trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals up to the age of 45. That is why we have committed more resources to saving the lives of trauma victims."

Other HCA facilities with Level II designation in the Greater Houston area are Clear Lake Regional Medical Center and Conroe Regional Medical Center are current Trauma Level II Centers. Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center is also pursuing of Trauma Level II designation, HCA officials said.