Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (PPMH) has earned verification as a Level II Trauma Center from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT), a landmark achievement that confirms Phoebe’s commitment to providing expert trauma care to the people of southwest Georgia.  PPMH was previously designated as a Level II Trauma Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health Office of EMS and Trauma.  The ACS verification is the gold standard for trauma centers nationwide and validates a hospital has the commitment, clinical resources and quality-improvement systems required to provide optimal care for injured patients.

The ACS surveyors who conducted the site review were effusive in their praise of Phoebe and specifically mentioned multiple trauma team members, highlighting their expertise and commitment. They were particularly impressed with the quality of Phoebe’s trauma program despite this being the hospital’s first ACS survey.  In their report, the site reviewers wrote, “Phoebe Putney has established itself as a critical regional resource providing high quality, timely, organized trauma care. This, their first verification under the American College of Surgeons COT Verification Review Program, is a reflection of organization-wide commitment to injured patients and trauma providers within the community.”  

The verification is the culmination of decades of planning, investment and steady advancement in trauma services.  It followed an exacting process that examined the people, resources, clinical protocols, data, performance-improvement work and round-the-clock readiness required to care for the region’s most critically injured patients.

“This outstanding achievement belongs to every member of our trauma team and to the many people across Phoebe who have helped build this program over many years,” said Scott Steiner, President & CEO of Phoebe Putney Health System.  “ACS verification is not awarded for aspiration; it is earned through demonstrated readiness, disciplined teamwork and an organization-wide commitment to patients.  We congratulate our physicians, nurses, clinical staff, registrars, emergency medical partners and support teams whose hard work made this possible.”

The ACS review team identified 17 program strengths and called Phoebe’s administrative commitment “extraordinary.”  They praised the leadership team’s trauma experience, passion, engagement and support of team members. The report also recognized Dr. Leon Dent’s engaged and effective leadership as Trauma Medical Director and his work to foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary culture focused on high-quality care and continuous improvement.

“Our team embraced an extraordinarily demanding process because people throughout southwest Georgia deserve advanced trauma care close to home,” Dr. Dent said.  “This verification reflects countless hours of preparation, case review, education, collaboration and performance improvement.  I am deeply proud of our trauma professionals, and I am grateful for Phoebe’s sustained investments in the specialists, technology and support services that strengthen care – from the moment a patient arrives through recovery.”

Among the specific strengths cited by ACS:

• Trauma surgeons were present for the highest level of activation in less than 15 minutes in nearly every case reviewed, demonstrating the surgical team’s commitment to timely care.
• Phoebe achieved a Pediatric Readiness Score of 100, reflecting an intensive, organization-wide focus on optimal care for sick and injured children.
• The trauma registry was described as exceptionally well maintained, with 99.5% of cases completed within 60 days, providing accurate and current data to support improvement.
• The reviewers praised Phoebe’s thorough performance-improvement and patient-safety processes, including detailed case review, clear evidence of follow-through and a strong multidisciplinary imaging review process.
• The hospital’s 24/7 social work coverage, robust blood-product availability, dedicated neurotrauma leadership and community injury-prevention work were recognized as important components of comprehensive, patient-centered care.

The verification also recognizes the importance of Phoebe’s ongoing investments in a coordinated regional trauma system and community injury-prevention education.  For patients and families across southwest Georgia, stronger local trauma capability can mean faster access to specialized teams and critical resources when every minute matters, while supporting emergency medical services and hospitals throughout the region.

“This milestone positions Phoebe to serve this region even more effectively for generations to come,” Steiner said. “We will continue investing in the people, systems and partnerships that help save lives, improve outcomes and keep more patients near their families and support networks during some of their most difficult moments.”