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The trauma center at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens has been verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). A Level I verification is the organization’s highest distinction and recognizes the trauma center’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. The ACS verification is a prerequisite for Level I Trauma Center designation by New York State.

“NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens provides its trauma patients with the highest level of care,” said Stephen Mills, president of NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens. “Our outstanding physicians and facilities ensure that we can treat any patient quickly and effectively.  We also have a commitment to preventing injury before it occurs through community education. This is the level of care the residents of Queens expect and deserve.” 

“Being verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the ACS is a testimony to the institution’s commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Pierre Saldinger, chairman, Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens. “A Level I verification demonstrates that residents do not need to leave Queens to receive world-class care.” 

All verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the ACS’s Committee on Trauma in its current “Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient” manual. The program provides confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients. What separates a Level I Trauma Center is the demonstrated ability for all patients to receive 24/7 access to a trauma surgeon, operating room and every subspecialty of surgery available. Further, a Level I center demonstrates a commitment to injury prevention through education, awareness and professional development programs.

“This really encompasses the entire hospital, across the board - from trauma surgeons to nurses to administrators,” said Dr. Jason Sample, chief, Section of Acute, Trauma and Critical Care at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. “It was a true team effort in the verification process and we will continue to collaborate across the board to provide exceptional trauma care to the borough of Queens. I would like to thank MaryEllen Zimmermann, our trauma program manager, who has led the certification efforts over two years, and has been instrumental in NewYork-Presbyterian Queens achieving this important verification.”

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens,located in Flushing, New York, is a community teaching hospital affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine that serves Queens and metro New York residents. The 535-bed tertiary care facility provides services in 14 clinical departments and numerous subspecialties, including 15,000 surgeries and 4,000 infant deliveries each year. With its network of affiliated primary and multispecialty care physician practices and community-based health centers, the hospital provides approximately 162,000 ambulatory care visits and 124,000 emergency service visits annually. 

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive healthcare delivery networks, focused on providing innovative and compassionate care to patients in the New York metropolitan area and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical school partners, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and clinical innovation.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the magazine’s Honor Roll of best hospitals in the nation; NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network is comprised of leading hospitals in and around New York and delivers high-quality care to patients throughout the region; NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services connects medical experts with patients in their communities; and NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health features the hospital’s ambulatory care network sites and operations, community care initiatives and healthcare quality programs, including NewYork Quality Care, established by NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell and Columbia.

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the largest healthcare providers in the U.S. Each year, nearly 29,000 NewYork-Presbyterian professionals deliver exceptional care to more than 2 million patients. 

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About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.