The Level II Trauma Center at Inland Valley Medical Center provides advanced, critical care to about 1,600 patients each year. It is the only hospital designated a Trauma Center by southwest Riverside County’s Emergency Services Agency. A highly equipped team – with an emergency helipad for air transports – supports swift, comprehensive care for area residents involved in life-threatening medical situations.
As a designated Paramedic Base Station, the Emergency Department uses a special radio to link paramedics and other emergency aid personnel in the field to the hospital when a patient is on the way. A synchronized system enables the trauma team to mobilize before patients arrive.
“We have a trauma surgeon and a backup trauma surgeon if two cases come in at the same time,” says Medical Director of Trauma Service Tito Gorski, MD, who has been in his role for nearly 15 years.
A full team of subspecialists supports patients who need more advanced care. For example, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons can perform emergency procedures on patients with musculoskeletal injuries or head traumas. Full-time registered nurses in the Emergency Department have training in advance cardiac life support, along with Trauma Nursing Care Certification, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Mobile Intensive Care Nurse certifications.
Many patients who are treated for trauma have a life-altering event. The goal at Inland Valley is to maximize patients’ recovery and help them get integrated back into their lives as soon as possible.
The presence of trauma support at Inland Valley benefits all patients, Dr. Gorski says. “The pace is much faster,” he notes. “Being a trauma center affects care in a positive way.”