Surgeon Speaks

Kris Kaulback, MD, FACS Assistant Professor, Division of Acute Care Surgery at Jefferson Medical Director, Trauma Center at Paoli Hospital Following a major, multisystem trauma, being seen by a trauma center within 60 minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Thanks to Paoli Hospital’s accredited Level II trauma center, which opened on October 1, 2010, more people in Chester County are receiving critical care within the “golden hour.” As Kris Kaulback, MD, FACS, explains, Paoli earned accreditation by addressing the extensive standards outlined by the Pennsylvania State Trauma Foundation (PSTF). Accreditation reflects the resources available at Paoli around the clock – including access to specially trained physicians, surgeons and nurses, as well as tools and technologies essential for rapid diagnosis and treatment. “Paoli is the only accredited trauma center in Chester County, giving residents of the county access to critical care faster and closer to home,” says Dr. Kaulback, a longtime member of Jefferson’s surgical faculty. Indeed, according to the PSTF, prior to October 2010, only 37 percent of Chester County patients made it to any trauma center within the “golden hour.” Thanks to Paoli’s trauma center, that number now exceeds 80 percent – with Chester County trauma patients now receiving critical care, on average, 15 to 20 minutes faster than before. And, as Dr. Kaulback notes, “The survival rate for patients with injury severity scores over 16 is now 93 percent, compared to 84 percent before Paoli’s trauma center opened.