NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi celebrates certification of Level II Pediatric Trauma Center

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Trauma remains the leading cause of death for young Americans between the ages of one and fourteen years old.
Photo courtesy NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx CEO Christopher Mastromano announced a new multimedia campaign on July 24 to promote the hospital’s recent certification as a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. The certification, issued by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), means that patients under the age of 15 will receive the highest standards of treatment when it comes to advanced trauma care. Trauma remains the leading cause of death for young Americans between the ages of one and 14 years old.

 The announcement builds on Jacobi’s pioneering work in trauma care. Jacobi is already a Level I Adult Trauma Center for most of the Bronx and Southern Westchester, treating approximately 2,300 adult patients last year with 1,800 trauma admissions. The hospital also hosts one of New York State’s strongest CureViolence Programs, Stand Up to Violence, which works to reduce gun violence in the 49th, 47th, and 43rd Precincts.

“New Yorkers deserve the highest level of care, and with this new certification, we’re helping deliver it,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “Our new multimedia campaign will keep people up-to-date on the lifesaving services Jacobi offers and help improve the health of residents in and around the Bronx.”

Consultations for the Pediatric Level II designation started in December of 2018 with the verification being official in March of 2023. Approximately 300 pediatric patients have already been treated with 187 of those being trauma admissions.

“This is a big deal for all 1.4 million Bronx residents,” CEO Christopher Mastromano said.  “Now that Jacobi is the only accredited Pediatric Trauma Center in our borough, our communities need to know that they can count on us to get expert emergency care when it matters most.”

Mastromano explained that a Level II Pediatric Trauma designation means that patients can expect around-the-clock in-house surgical subspecialties when they come in for traumatic care, rigorous patient quality improvements and outcomes, and a broad array of services from the hospital’s pediatric staff.  Additionally, Jacobi will continue its active community education program in injury prevention with its trauma outreach coordinators who specialize in offering “Stop the Bleed” training, seasonal safety training, and age-appropriate Emergency Department tours.

“Our vision at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi was to fill this void and need for our community and last year we were proud to be verified by the American College of Surgeons as a level II pediatric trauma center,” Srinivas H Reddy, MD, FACS, Pediatric Trauma Medical Director at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx, said.

Reddy said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data in 2022 showing that since 2020, firearm-related injuries have been the leading cause of death in children and adolescents aged one to 19 years. The Bronx in New York City has a population of over 350,000 children had no pediatric trauma center to care for its injured children.

“We are incredibly proud to be the only verified Pediatric Trauma Center in the Bronx. This is a well-deserved accomplishment that is a result of significant collaboration and shows the willingness of our administration to put the resources necessary to provide exceptional care to injured children throughout the Borough,” Stephen Blumberg, MD, Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx and Associate Pediatric Trauma Medical Director, said.


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