HCMC re-verified as an Adult and Pediatric Burn Center

The American Burn Association (ABA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced the re-verification of the Hennepin Burn Center as an Adult and Pediatric Burn Center.

Hennepin County Medical Center’s (HCMC) Burn Center is one of only 64 verified burn centers in the country and one of the few centers that manages both adult and pediatric burns. This verification provides a true mark of distinction and is an indicator to government, third-party payers, patients and their families, and accreditation organizations that the Center provides high quality patient care from the time of injury through rehabilitation.

“We’re delighted that our Burn Center is recognized as having all of the key elements of an outstanding program,” explains Dr. Anne Lambert, Medical Co-Director of HCMC’s Burn Center. “We always put our patients first, and that’s why they have great outcomes. It’s so rewarding to see them progress to their full potentials after an injury, and to receive the exact kind of multidisciplinary care they need.”

Burn Center Verification is a joint program of the American Burn Association (ABA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS). To achieve verification, a burn center must meet the rigorous standards for organizational structure, personnel qualifications, facilities resources and medical care services set out in the in the ABA chapter on Guidelines for the Operation of Burn Centers in the ACS publication on Resources For Optimal Care Of The Injured Patient 2006. Elements of this voluntary program include completion of a pre-review questionnaire and an in-depth on-site review by members of the ABA Verification Committee, which took place at HCMC in May.

A written report by the site visit team is reviewed by the ABA Verification Committee and by the Committee on Trauma of the ACS. In the re-verification letter, the committee commended HCMC for its “commitment to excellence and its commitment to providing quality burn care to its patients.”

HCMC was also recently re-verified as a Level 1 Adult and Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. HCMC was the first hospital in Minnesota to achieve this status, and in 2014 it will mark its 25th year as a Level 1 Trauma Center.

The Burn Center at Hennepin County Medical Center is nationally recognized for its expertise in treating burn patients of all ages. Staffed by specially trained burn care nurses and physicians, the 18-bed inpatient unit and ambulatory care clinic provide comprehensive burn care to patients from throughout the Midwest.