Floyd Polk Medical Center has received confirmation from the Georgia Department of Public Health that it has been designated a Level IV Trauma Center.
“The administration and staff of (Floyd) Polk Medical Center have clearly demonstrated dedication to the care of trauma patients in Georgia. You are an asset to the community and citizens of your area,” J. Patrick O’Neal, Commissioner of the DPH, stated in a confirmation letter sent to hospital Administrator and Chief Nursing Officer Tifani Kinard.
The Level IV designation means that Floyd Polk Medical Center, a critical access hospital, can stabilize injured patients, and if needed, to ensure they can safely be transferred to a higher level of care, Kinard said. As a critical access hospital, Floyd Polk Medical Center offers essential medical services to its surrounding community such as 24/7 emergency services, family medicine, sub-acute rehabilitation, outpatient surgery and cardiac imaging
Just 20 miles to the north is Floyd Medical Center, a state-designated Level II Trauma Center that provides around-the-clock emergency care, seven days a week. Floyd’s Emergency Care Center is specially equipped to treat patients with acute and life-threatening traumatic injuries.
Kinard said the hospital staff has been working hard to achieve the designation.
“This is been something we have been working on for three years,” Kinard said. “We have been enhancing our education and processes to meet the standard. I am very proud of the staff here and the recognition indicates the level of care we have been able to provide for Polk County residents.”
A team of surveyors visited the hospital and reviews its processes to determine if it complies with guidelines established by the American College of Surgeons, Kinard said.