Sparks Regional part of Arkansas trauma system

Sparks Regional Medical Center is now a member of the network of hospitals participating in Arkansas’ statewide trauma system.

Sparks is among 19 Arkansas hospitals designated as a Level III trauma center. Level III facilities are, by definition, equipped to provide treatment for most traumatic injuries.

To receive the designation, hospitals undergo an intensive process implemented by the Arkansas Department of Health to ensure staffing and structure is in place to handle trauma patients.

According to the Sparks statement, 58 hospitals have received designations in the Arkansas trauma system, which was developed to ensure patients with traumatic injury will be transported to the best possible care as quickly as possible. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, injury is the top cause of death for Arkansans between the ages of one and 44. It is estimated the trauma system will save nearly 170 lives and about $193 million each year.

Sparks Health System includes the Regional Medical Center, Sparks Clinic, Sparks Home Health, Sparks PremierCare and the fully-integrated Marvin Altman Fitness Center.

Van Buren’s Summit Medical Center, affiliated with Sparks, was also designated a Level III trauma center in March 2012. Summit Medical Center is a fully accredited 103-bed acute care hospital providing inpatient, outpatient, emergency, critical care, testing, rehabilitation and respiratory therapy services.

In September, both Sparks Regional Medical Center and Summit Medical Center became the only River Valley hospitals named among the nation’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by the Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Sparks was recognized for its quality performance in heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Summit was recognized for its achievement in pneumonia care for the second year in a row.