Frankfort Regional Medical Center

Fall/Winter 2013

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on staff. This Fast Track process enables us to fully focus on critical emergency cases without sacrificing care for non-emergent patients. In most cases, Fast Track patients can be in and out of our ED in 45 minutes or less. "It's all about seeing patients faster, getting them in front of a medical provider sooner and treating them in the most appropriate way," says Mark Sloan, MD, board-certified emergency medicine physician and Medical Director of Emergency Services at Frankfort Regional. "Our new ED is not only larger, more aesthetically pleasing and more comfortable, but it's also more technologically advanced." Bells, Whistles and Beyond From the central monitoring system to electronic bedside reporting, our new ED has full digital capabilities, including integration into the hospital's electronic health record. The ED also features a brand new trauma bay furnished with leading-edge emergency equipment, including a dedicated trauma bed equipped with technology that enables X-rays to be taken from beneath the patient, as well as a glide scope with a fiber-optic camera for direct airway visualization and smoother intubation. Both of these technologies enhance our ability to diagnose and treat trauma patients without having to reposition them and risk further injury. Another key piece of equipment featured in our new ED is a 64-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner, which can perform a full-body scan in fewer than 10 seconds. While many EDs have to transport CT scanners from elsewhere in the hospital, Frankfort Regional now houses two CT scanners in the ED. "Everyone here—from the emergency team to the hospital administrators—is dedicated to providing efficient, high-quality emergency care," Dr. Sloan says. "Thanks to the hospital's investment in this department, we now have an advanced ED with advanced capabilities, as good as or better than any ED in the country." Top: The newly renovated Emergency Department lobby Middle: Mark Sloan, MD, and Jennifer Brock, LPN, speak with a patient in the trauma room. Bottom: New nursing stations are zoned in three different areas for greater visibility and monitoring capabilities. Â To see our current average Emergency Department wait time, text "ER" to 23000 or visit frankfortregional.com, where you can also take an online video tour of our new ED. Care on Another Level Charlotte O'Neal, RN, MSN, CEN, Trauma Program Manager In July 2013, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) officially designated Frankfort Regional Medical Center a Level III Trauma Center. This designation means Frankfort Regional not only provides appropriate treatment for a wider spectrum of trauma patients, but also meets the ACS's rigorous standards for institutional performance and high-quality care. To receive Level III designation, Frankfort Regional underwent a thorough on-site evaluation by an ACS Verification Review Committee. Our trauma physicians and nurses are also required to receive additional training and education and to perform routine trauma drills. AMONG THE ELITE Frankfort Regional is one of only two Level III Trauma Centers in Kentucky. "This designation means most of our trauma patients can remain in our hospital for complete treatment rather than being transferred to a larger facility," says Charlotte O'Neal, RN, MSN, CEN, Trauma Program Manager at Frankfort Regional. "Patients can trust us for their trauma care." Currently, there are no Level II Trauma Centers in the state and only two adult Level I Trauma Centers, both of which are university-based. 5

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