UTMB Clear Lake upgrades with more trauma coverage from surgeons, specialists

But to become official, the American College of Surgeons must verify the requirements for the Clear Lake hospital.

great care. We are excited to be able to expand this higher level of care to be able to help more people.”

That’s why the emergency department at the UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus has begun the process of becoming a Level 2 trauma facility.

Already, a trauma surgeon is on site 24/7 with orthopedic and vascular surgeons on call 24/7, a schedule that went into effect Oct. 1.

It’s all part of long-term plan as the Level 3 facility works to obtain verification as a Level 2 trauma facility. The process takes about two years. The facility is now “Level 2 capable.” The “capable” label means the hospital has all the personnel, plans and other requirements in place to be a Level 2 trauma facility.

Within a year, the hospital staff will do a consultative survey with the American College of Surgeons. Then the following year, the American College of Surgeons will visit for a final verification. That timeline would make UTMB Health Clear Lake officially a Level 2 facility by November 2024.

“As of Oct 1, 2022, the Clear Lake Campus can provide our community all the services that a Level 2 Trauma Center has to offer,” said Julie Matson, program director of Trauma Services for UTMB Health System.

When a trauma case comes to the Clear Lake emergency room, UTMB Health trauma surgeons will be able to respond immediately because of the 24/7 coverage.

“This means we are able to provide more services to further elevate the high level of quality trauma care we provide to the Bay Area,” said Ben Shapley, nursing program manager of Trauma Services at the UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus. “We are very proud of the hard work from everyone and would not be able to do this without such a great team who is committed to providing

“We’re going to be able to do more advanced orthopedic procedures because not only will we have advanced orthopedic surgeons on call 24/7, we will also have vascular surgery on call 24/7 to assist with these highly complex procedures that often involve blood vessels,” Matson said.

Texas has a total of 26 Level 2 trauma facilities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Of those 26, four are in the Houston area.

UTMB Health’s Galveston Campus is a Level 1 trauma facility, one of only 20 in Texas and four in the Houston region. UTMB Health has a Level 3 facility in League City and a Level 4 facility at its Angleton-Danbury Campus.

Northern Galveston County and southern Harris County now have more options for emergency trauma care.

“We’re very excited to be able to provide this service,” Matson said. “It’s a testament to the commitment of UTMB Health to continue to elevate the excellent care we provide to our community.”

Why did you choose your medical field?

A I chose neurology because I enjoyed neurosciences and neuroanatomy, and I picked the field of stroke because of the high-paced nature of it and the need to make important decisions quickly. There’s also the need to think calmly and efficiently about a patient or case to determine lifesaving treatments. In addition, there are so many novel therapeutics available to us today to treat stroke that weren’t available 10 to 15 years ago, so it makes the field really exciting. 02

How do you get through a tough shift?

A

During a tough shift, I basically just keep powering through until the end, while always keeping in mind that I am helping people and making a difference, so it allows me to get through a long day quicker. 03

What do you do to relax when you are not at work?

A I enjoy music, playing basketball and soccer, working out and spending time with my 1.5-year-old daughter. These things recharge my batteries and take my mind off work.

Playing sports and definitely playing with my daughter has the ability to make me forget about difficulties I faced during the day, and seeing my daughter puts everything into perspective.