Our Lady of the Lake Verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons

August 22, 2022

important distinction  trauma center in the region to earn this   is the only Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center has been verified as a Level I adult trauma center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), making it the first and only trauma center in the Capital Region and one of three in the state to receive the prestigious distinction. The verification highlights the robust, multi-disciplinary care model that Our Lady of the Lake has provided to the state of Louisiana for nearly 100 years and its commitment to bringing the highest quality of care to its patients.

“This is a big deal for our community and the nearly one million people who live and work in the region,” said Catherine O’Neal, MD, chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake. “A Level 1 trauma center designation means Our Lady of the Lake has the resources and care needed before, during and after a trauma event. Our trauma center saves countless lives every year, and I am extremely proud of the dedication and hard work that our trauma team provides day in and day out. We have the best physicians, nurses and partners to care for our community.”  

Representing the highest possible level for a hospital trauma center, the ACS dictates a Level I trauma center have the leadership and total care for every aspect of an injury, from prevention through rehabilitation. The designation combines acute care responsibilities with leadership in education, research and system planning — a responsibility that extends beyond Our Lady of the Lake to all the surrounding hospitals in the region. 

“I applaud the team at Our Lady of the Lake for their hard work and commitment to being designated a Level I trauma center,” said Governor John Bel Edwards. “As we continue to invest in our partner hospitals, I am amazed at the level of innovation, commitment to patient care and dedication to the community I see every day. This is great news for the Capitol Region, which cares for a large population of our state. Lives will be saved as Louisiana’s largest hospital is now recognized as having the ability to provide care for the most critically ill trauma patients.”

Our Lady of the Lake’s trauma center benefits from the resources of being a nationally recognized academic medical center as the Baton Rouge healthcare partner of Louisiana State University. Additionally, a strong relationship with community physicians and a robust graduate medical education program support the trauma center’s care, training and research efforts. 

“More than a decade ago, when Our Lady of the Lake and LSU launched their historic partnership, both institutions committed to bringing this important distinction to Baton Rouge,” said William F. Tate IV, LSU President. “Through much hard work and commitment of the clinical teams and researchers, I’m excited to celebrate this milestone. Our team at LSU looks forward to many more years of partnership with Our Lady of the Lake. Research is at the very core of our mission, and the work we are doing here together will undoubtedly save lives.”

“A Level I trauma center requires a major commitment in hospital personnel and resources — focusing on patient care, education and research,” shared Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome. “This new designation highlights the level of care that Our Lady of the Lake has provided our community for nearly a century.”

Our Lady of the Lake has operated as a Level II trauma center for the past nine years, serving as the primary destination for traumatic injuries in the region. The center treats a variety of traumatic injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes, falls, jobsite accidents, penetrating trauma, natural disasters and more, with over 3,000 trauma activations and more than 1,400 hospital admissions annually. 

As the city’s top ranked U.S. News & World Report hospital, Our Lady of the Lake also boasts a top-notch emergency department at the forefront of its trauma program. 

“The quality of our emergency department nurses, physicians and processes equate to fast response times and a high level of care when it matters the most,” said Tomas Jacome, MD, medical director of the Our Lady of the Lake Trauma Center. “We’ve had the volume of a Level I center for some time, but now we’ve added the research and education systems to truly set this center apart ensuring our community is cared for when they need it the most.”