Parkview Regional Medical Center is marking its 25th year of being verified as a Level II trauma center by the American College of Surgeons.
News release from Parkview Health:
Parkview Regional Medical Center marks 25 years as verified Level II trauma center
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Sept. 2, 2025 – Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) is marking its 25th year of being verified as a Level II trauma center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
This month, the Adult Trauma Center and Pediatric Trauma Center, both located at PRMC, were reverified by the ACS. Parkview operates one of 21 adult trauma centers and one of only five verified pediatric trauma centers in Indiana.
“When a person suffers a serious injury, whether it’s from a car accident, a firearm, fire or chemical burns or any other major trauma, a fast response time and effective care from first responders to emergency physicians is critical,” said Dr. Michael Yurkanin, chief physician executive, PRMC & Affiliates. “For 25 years now, Parkview has continually proven its readiness and effectiveness in not only treating trauma injuries, but in educating and supporting regional partners to assist patients before they even arrive at our hospital.”
“Parkview Regional Medical Center maintaining trauma center verification demonstrates our continued commitment to our community that we have the physicians, nurses, specialty equipment and resources available to provide the care our patients need when experiencing a traumatic and potentially life-changing injury,” said Jessica Murphy, vice president of surgical services, Parkview Health. “The American College of Surgeons’ trauma center standards provide us with the framework to measure our effectiveness in providing trauma care and trauma injury prevention education.”
Parkview’s trauma journey started in 1989 with the creation of the Trauma Services Department with a long-term goal of achieving ACS verification. Over the next 11 years, Parkview built its staff of trauma surgeons and outreach programs in the community.
In May 2000, Parkview Hospital in downtown Fort Wayne (now known as Parkview Hospital Randallia) achieved Level II trauma center status, becoming the first verified center outside of Indianapolis. During the first reverification in 2003, Parkview also gained recognition as a Level II pediatric trauma center, becoming the first in Fort Wayne to achieve that designation.
Parkview’s adult and pediatric trauma centers at Parkview Regional Medical Center (pictured) were recently reverified as a Level II center for the 25th year. Parkview’s trauma centers have been located at PRMC since the hospital’s opening in 2012. Photo courtesy of Parkview Health.
With the opening of PRMC in 2012, Parkview’s trauma centers were moved to the new north Fort Wayne location and now serve more than 30 counties in the region. Since 2000, Parkview has evaluated more than 56,000 patients at its trauma centers.
The trauma center verification program recognizes Level I, II and III facilities. Level II trauma centers are expected to provide initial definitive trauma care for a wide range of injuries and injury severity, while also providing regional education, system leadership and disaster planning, according to the ACS. Level I centers are the highest level, certified to provide acute care for injuries of all types and severities. Level III centers are equipped to treat mild or moderate injuries, usually in smaller communities or rural areas.
PRMC is one of five Level II centers in the state, with the others located in Fort Wayne, South Bend and Evansville. Indiana currently has five Level I trauma centers, all of which are located in Indianapolis, while the state’s 13 Level III centers are located in smaller Hoosier cities such as Elkhart, Muncie, Lafayette and Bloomington.
Parkview’s commitment to trauma care extends far beyond the walls of any hospital and includes numerous community education and outreach programs. Those initiatives include bicycle helmet safety and infant car seat safety programs, a Don’t Text and Drive education program, and the Share the Road pedestrian and cyclist safety program. Parkview’s Stop the Bleed program teaches emergency trauma care to community members and has certified thousands of individuals and dozens of organizations.
Parkview also operates a safety store at 1818 Carew Street, Suite 140, Fort Wayne, offering $10 bicycle helmets with free fittings for children and adults; Share the Road items and apparel including bicycle lights, headlamps and reflective vests; $40 Stop the Bleed kits containing a tourniquet, compression bandages, bleeding control bandages, protective gloves and other items; carbon monoxide detectors; first aid kits; and numerous information brochures.
“Although Parkview is equipped to treat many types of trauma injuries, preventing trauma injuries from happening is an important mission for our community outreach teams,” said Lisa Hollister, administrative director, trauma system, Parkview Health. “Doing things such as wearing a helmet, refraining from using a phone while driving, and having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home can help people avoid suffering a traumatic injury in the first place.”
For more information about the ACS trauma center program, visit here. For additional information about Parkview Trauma Centers, visit here.
