Carle Foundation Hospital is celebrating its 25th year serving east-central Illinois as a Level I Trauma Center. Carle is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the immediate region and one of three downstate Illinois.

Carle was first designated Level 1 Trauma by the Illinois Department of Public Health in August 1988 and has continuously held that designation since that time.

Dr. Henry Moore, MD and Trauma Surgeon at Carle, says "Our Level I designation means we have the experienced staff, facilities and equipment to provide specialized care to all patients, regardless of the extent or type of trauma." Dr. Moore adds, "Our team treats patients with the most serious injuries and illnesses, and includes those from virtually every discipline at Carle working together."

The need for trauma services in the surrounding communities has steadily increased with Carle seeing more than 1,500 trauma patients in 2012. In 1988, the patient volume was just over 450 people. To treat these patients the Trauma Center is staffed 24 hours, seven days a week by a team of specialists including the Emergency Department (ED) and OR staff, Trauma Surgery, Anesthesiology, Radiology, ICU medicine, Laboratory, Pharmacy, AirLife, and Arrow Ambulance, among others.

To help meet that growing demand, Carle will nearly double the space of the Emergency Department adding 14,000 square feet and 17 additional acute care beds. It will include renovating existing space and adding a one-story structure connecting to the current ED and Carle Tower and Heart and Vascular Institute. The project is scheduled to be complete in 2014. Carle saw more than 70,000 people in the ED in 2012.

Carle is the region's only Level I Trauma Center, as well as a Primary Stroke Center, accredited Chest Pain Center and Level III Perinatal services. Carle Foundation Hospital has one of the best Emergency Departments in the nation, ranked in the top 5% by HealthGrades for a second year in a row.

{courtesy of: Carle Public Relations.}