Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital reaches top trauma centre status

Source: Supplied.

Level 1 TSSA trauma centre accreditation certifies that the trauma care system has the necessary levels of expertise and equipment to treat the most severely injured polytrauma cases.

“The true value of investing in quality systems is measured in the lives this saves, and this is clearly demonstrated in a healthcare facility’s capacity for treating trauma patients with severe injuries, and the outcomes it achieves for patients,” says Louis van der Hoven, Netcare’s regional general manager for the Western Cape.

Andrew Nicol, trauma director at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, adds: “It has been shown that getting a severely injured patient to a facility that is appropriately equipped as quickly as possible improves survival rates and outcomes.

“When a critically injured patient is managed with a multidisciplinary team approach, encompassing emergency medical services, medical specialities and trained trauma surgeons and nurses, according to the established trauma protocols of a level 1 accredited centre, their chances of survival are greater,” he says.

Netcare AI study results

In a Netcare study using AI to explore the impact of a level 1 trauma centre on the probability of survival for trauma injuries in the South African context, it was established that the probability of survival in a Level 1 centre was improved.

“Now that we are officially accredited, emergency medical services can have the utmost confidence in bringing any critically injured patient to the trauma unit at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, with trauma surgeons attending to patients and ongoing measurement of our trauma care against best-practice protocols to ensure the quality of care remains consistent.”

Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital receives level 1 trauma centre accreditation from the Trauma Society of South Africa (TSSA). This recognition reflects best practice and the safest standards in trauma medicine. It’s the first in Western Cape private hospitals. pic.twitter.com/FjQoQ1EBqc

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 3, 2023

Amanda Klette, Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital’s trauma programme manager, adds: “Saving lives and improving the expected outcomes when accidents and trauma injuries happen is at the heart of all our efforts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“Thanks to the truly awesome team, as the first private level 1 trauma centre in the Cape region, Netcare Christiaan Barnard Hospital is here to provide private trauma care to the best and safest standards when it is needed most.”

Both the TSSA auditors, and professors Tim Hardcastle and Jacques Goosen, confirmed that they were suitably impressed with the quality of the submission and care offered in the facility for the most severely injured, and they congratulated the team at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital for their role in improving trauma care in the Western Cape and South Africa.