News Trauma Capacity Doubles at Brackenridge Hospital

AUSTIN, Texas - (October 15, 2007) - To help with the growth and demand for trauma and critical care services in Central Texas, officials with the Seton Family of Hospitals opened eight new trauma-critical care rooms this week. That's on top of the 10 trauma-critical care rooms that opened last May for a total of 18 beds.

Also under construction are 15 exam rooms in the former Children's Hospital Emergency Department that moved to Dell Children's in June.

Brackenridge Hospital Emergency Department plays a unique role as the sole designated trauma center in the region. It is the fourth busiest Emergency Department in the state and the safety net for every person sustaining traumatic injuries in the City of Austin as well as the surrounding 11 counties.

The expansion includes four major resuscitation rooms that will be used to treat major trauma cases and four critical care rooms that are "negative air pressure isolation" rooms designed to treat patients with infectious diseases such as Avian Flu and SARS.

Each of the rooms features new monitors, infusion pumps and the latest medical equipment to treat critically injured or critically ill patients.

The total cost of the new trauma area is $6 million, with $5 million funded by Seton and the remaining $1 million funded by the Travis County Healthcare District.

The Regional Trauma Center at Brackenridge is one of nine designated Level II major trauma centers in the state and the only major trauma facility in this region. The center serves the 11-county Central Texas area and is the home base for Austin-Travis County STAR Flight. The Trauma Center continues to meet the rigorous standards set by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma care.