Level II Trauma

Kern Medical Center is designated by the Kern County Emergency Medical Services Department and the American College of Surgeons as the county's only Trauma Center.

Designation as a Level II Trauma Center guarantees that the hospital has adequate resources to deal with severely injured patients at all times. As a Trauma Center, the hospital's nurses in the ER, Operating Room and Intensive Care Unit receive additional training in the care of severely injured trauma patients. Trauma Center designation insures that adequate physicians, including Emergency Physicians, Trauma Surgeons, Neurosurgeons and Orthopedic Surgeons are immediately available and prepared to deal with trauma 24 hours-a-day.

As part of the Trauma Center services provided to the community, Kern Medical Center maintains a detailed trauma registry, provides trauma education and feedback to other hospitals in the county, and provides injury prevention education to the community.

As stated by Dr. Ray Chung, Kern Medical Center's Trauma Director, "The Trauma Center designation guarantees our preparedness for trauma and will provide care to reduce deaths and disabilities from serious injuries and will ensure local access to comprehensive surgical care".