Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has received both Trauma Verification and Children’s Surgical Verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS), making it the only pediatric facility in Florida to hold both verifications and one of only 14 in the country.

Established by the ACS in 1987, the Committee on Trauma’s Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals acknowledges a facility’s ability to address the trauma needs of all injured patients. The ACS does not designate trauma centers, however, which is a function of government entities. The ACS Children’s Surgery Verification Committee assesses a surgical program’s safety processes, quality improvement and ability to provide a multidisciplinary medical approach. Hospitals must pass a site visit and meet a number of standards specific to each program in order to receive verification.

“Achieving these verifications from the American College of Surgeons is a testament to the commitment of our clinical staff to provide the best care for all of our patients,” said Don Plumley, MD, medical director of pediatric trauma and chief quality officer at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer. “Parents can rest assured that when urgent medical attention is needed, their children are in the most qualified hands with our trauma and surgery teams.”

The ACS is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to improve the care of the surgical patient by raising the standards of surgical education and practice. The College has over 72,000 members and is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.