Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska opens Level 4 trauma center
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Health care officials say a new Level 4 EMS trauma facility opened by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska will mean faster and more efficient care for residents who need emergency medical attention, marking an improvement over the current model.
Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare Services completed a $15 million emergency department in December, which then received a Level 4 trauma center designation from the Nebraska Department of Public Health.
Halle Murray, marketing specialist for the system, said the new facility is a dramatic upgrade over calling 911.
"Maybe the response time for Winnebago is longer if you try to call 911," Murray observed. "Here we actually have our own emergency line. It's just a quicker response time, whether that's needing help with something or a ride to the hospital in an ambulance."
It took six years for Winnebago' emergency department to earn the trauma center designation, which included rigorous training for the medical professionals and other staff who work there.
In addition to advanced training and updated treatment protocols, the site itself was subject to a series of inspections and reviews prior to its Level 4 designation. Murray stressed the trauma center fills a big need.
"There's always people who need help here on the reservation," Murray emphasized. "Again, just getting to them quicker and helping them out the best that we can, and helping them get the care that they deserve, and I would say it's a huge need in the Winnebago community right now."
Nebraska has one Level 1 trauma center, located in Omaha.
