Billings Clinic designated as Montana’s first Comprehensive Trauma Center

Designation aligns with Level I Trauma Center verification

Billings, MT - Billings Clinic is honored to announce that it has been designated by the State of Montana as Montana’s first-ever Comprehensive Trauma Center. This designation was established in January of 2024 by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Service’s Office of EMS and Trauma Systems to indicate the highest level of trauma care available in Montana and aligns with the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Level I Trauma Center verification. In August of 2023, Billings Clinic became the first and only hospital in Montana and Wyoming to earn ACS verification as a Level I Trauma Center.

The newly created state designation is the final step in Billings Clinic’s journey to formal recognition that it provides the highest level of trauma care available in the region, making it the only organization in a 500-mile radius that includes all of Montana and Wyoming to qualify for either distinction. Billings Clinic is the first organization to earn this designation from the State of Montana. Prior to Jan. 1, 2024, Montana did not have established criteria for the Comprehensive Trauma Center designation.

“Making sure that everyone has access to high quality, lifesaving care no matter where they’re at across our region is our top priority,” said Clint Seger, MD, Billings Clinic CEO. “This designation reflects our commitment to that effort and the hard work of people across our health system to elevate care.”

Earning the Comprehensive Trauma Center designation means Billings Clinic offers the highest level of trauma care available in Montana. It requires an organization to meet a rigorous set of standards to demonstrate its ability to not only take on any trauma case when it happens, but also enhance trauma education and community resources. Per state requirements, in order to become a Comprehensive Trauma System, a facility must provide definitive comprehensive care for complex multisystem injured patients, conduct research conducted at the facility, have residency program affiliation and be a leader in professional and community education and system planning.

The closer a patient is to high-level trauma services, the better their chances of survival are. Trauma injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans up to the age of 44, and the fourth leading cause overall for all ages. With a highly rural population sometimes living hundreds of miles from the nearest trauma center, trauma survival rates in Montana are lower than much of the rest of the country. This adds up to make the availability of high-level trauma services throughout the region both critical and urgent.

“As the busiest Emergency Department and Trauma Center in the state, Billings Clinic continues to provide the highest level of care for the most severely injured trauma patients,” said Michael Englehart, MD, FACS, general and trauma surgeon and Billings Clinic Trauma Medical Director. “This designation reinforces the commitment of our entire organization to provide the complete spectrum of life saving care at a moment’s notice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

The verification from the ACS recognizes that, as a Level I Trauma Center, Billings Clinic provides system leadership and comprehensive trauma care for all injuries and that it has the right people and resources to do so effectively and consistently. Being a Level I Trauma Center means Billings Clinic plays an important role in local trauma system development, regional disaster planning, increasing capacity, and advancing trauma care through research. Patient records are rigorously reviewed by Billings Clinic, and independently by the state and the ACS, to ensure accuracy in care and documentation.

As a Level I Trauma Center, Billings Clinic provides the care and resources to treat every type of injury, no matter how serious, at any time. It means a community-focused, integrated system of care will be available to all in need. Additional benefits of Level I include:

• Provides leadership in prevention, training and public education to surrounding communities.
• Provides continuing education for the trauma team members and others throughout the organization.
• Regional care coordination.
• Incorporates a comprehensive quality assessment program.
• Operates an organized teaching and research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care.

There currently are no other Comprehensive Trauma Centers in Montana and no other ACS verified Level I Trauma Centers in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho or South Dakota. The next closest Level I centers to Billings are in Salt Lake City, UT (548 miles); Denver, CO (555 miles); and Seattle, WA (819 miles).

To learn more about Billings Clinic’s commitment to providing the highest level of trauma care, visit www.billingsclinic.com/trauma. To support Billings Clinic’s Emergency, Trauma and Complex Care campaign, visit www.billingsclinicfoundation.com.

About Billings Clinic

Billings Clinic and Logan Health are united as a not-for-profit, Montana-based, independent health care system focused on keeping people close to home and connecting care in communities throughout the region. The unified health system serves an area that includes most of Montana, northern Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, Billings Clinic is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. At its core, Billings Clinic is a physician-led, integrated multispecialty group practice with a 336-bed hospital and Montana’s first Level I Trauma Center. Billings Clinic is the largest trauma center and the first established and longest standing ACS-COT continually accredited trauma center in the state of Montana. Billings Clinic has more than 4,500 employees, including nearly 600 physicians and advanced practitioners offering more than 80 specialties. Billings Clinic is the first Magnet-designated health care organization in Montana and a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. More information can be found at www.billingsclinic.com.