TRACY — An area hospital will continue to be part of the state system that helps severely injured people get fast treatment. Spokespeople for Sanford Tracy Medical Center said the hospital was recently designated as a Level 4 Trauma Hospital by the Minnesota Department of Health.

The trauma hospital designation lasts for a three-year period, said Jeri Schons, director of nursing and clinical services at Sanford Tracy. While this isn’t Sanford Tracy’s first time being designated as a level 4 trauma hospital, it’s still an important process.

“It was quite an in-depth undertaking,” Schons said. As part of the designation process, the hospital needed to meet criteria for equipment, staff training and procedures to help make sure trauma patients get the care they need.

“I am excited for our entire team at Sanford Tracy,” said Stacy Barstad, senior director of Sanford Tracy. “This was a vigorous process for our team and their hard work and dedication demonstrates the passion our employees have to provide our community with exceptional and accessible health care.”

Minnesota’s trauma system is made up of a network of hospitals and ambulance services that coordinate with each other to get seriously injured people to facilities that can treat them. Trauma hospitals can have a level from 1 to 4, with level 1 hospitals having the most resources. Minnesota has level 1 hospitals in the Twin Cities, Rochester and Duluth, according to the MDH.

In addition to Sanford Tracy, there are level 4 hospitals in several area communities, including Slayton, Tyler, Hendricks, Canby, Redwood Falls and Granite Falls. There are level 3 trauma hospitals in Marshall, Worthington, Willmar and Mankato.

Schons said it’s important to have resources like trauma hospitals available in rural communities.

“Trauma can happen anywhere,” she said. People can be seriously hurt by car crashes, farm accidents, or even falls. And when that happens, they need to be able to get medical treatment as quickly as possible.

“Trauma is the third leading cause of death in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Brooke Cunningham. “The goal of the trauma system is to decrease injured patients’ time to care by making sure their medical needs are appropriately matched with hospital resources. With the designation of Sanford Tracy Medical Center as a level 4 level trauma hospital, we are getting closer to our goal of ensuring that seriously injured Minnesotans have access to an organized system of trauma care wherever they are in the state.”

Sanford Tracy’s level 4 designation was something that took teamwork with area ambulance services, and support from hospital staff and administration, Schons said. “That whole team approach is what makes it happen,” she said.