Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, MultiCare Expand Trauma Services in Pierce County

Nov. 1, 2024

Today, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) and MultiCare announced the expansion of Level II trauma services in Pierce County, which will soon be offered at St. Joseph Medical Center and MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital 24/7, 365 days a year to ensure timely, specialized care for life-threatening injuries in our region.

Prior to this expansion of services, which will go into effect Nov. 17, 2024, St. Joseph and Tacoma General rotated trauma care every other day through the Tacoma Trauma Trust. While operating in partnership, both hospitals have always held independent Level II trauma designation credentials. This new model of continuous trauma care allows for a consistent, streamlined approach aimed at improving efficiency, access to surgical services, and overall patient outcomes while allowing them to remain close to home.

“Our comprehensive and coordinated approach is designed to enhance the quality and safety of trauma care while streamlining patient transfers and minimizing any potential delays,” noted Paul Inouye, MD, medical director of Trauma Services at St. Joseph Medical Center. “Our goal is to set a new standard of excellence in trauma care, leading to superior patient outcomes, enhanced satisfaction, and reduced health care costs.”

The announcement also comes at a critical time when Pierce County’s population continues to grow–seeing a 16% increase in residents over the last decade, exceeding Washington state growth rates and with the largest population growth anticipated among residents 65 and older who often need higher levels of care. Recent data from the Washington State Hospital Association has shown the number of patients seeking trauma care has grown by nearly 40% since 2019.

In coordination with Emergency Medical Services, patients meeting trauma criteria will be taken to the nearest (by time) appropriate Level I or II trauma center within 30 minutes, per the State of Washington Trauma Triage and Destination Procedure. All Level I trauma patients in Pierce County will continue to be transferred to Harborview Medical Center and pediatric trauma patients (<15 years old) requiring a higher level of care will continue to be transferred to Harborview Medical Center (Level I) or Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital (Level II).

“Authentic to our mission of partnering for healing and a healthy future, Tacoma General has been proud to work alongside St. Joseph Medical Center since 2000 to ensure South Sound residents had timely access to trauma services,” said Kevin Pieper, chief medical officer at Tacoma General Hospital. “We know that the growing communities in the Puget Sound region need better access to these vital services. It’s our privilege to deliver round-the-clock trauma care and advance timely access to care for our patients and their families at Tacoma General.” 

About MultiCare 

MultiCare Health System is a not-for-profit health care organization with 13 hospitals and more than 26,000 team members. We are committed to achieving our mission of healing and a healthy future and delivering world-class health outcomes and an exceptional experience. As one of the largest community-based, locally governed health systems in Washington state, our comprehensive system of health includes numerous primary care, urgent care and dedicated specialty services. For more information, visit multicare.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

About Virginia Mason Franciscan Health

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) is an integrated health system serving the Puget Sound region, including 10 hospitals and 300 care sites. Founded in 1891, VMFH embraces its long history of caring for the most vulnerable, especially the poor and underserved, and meeting the evolving health care needs of the vibrant, diverse communities it serves. VMFH is a proud home to the Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, and the Benaroya Research Institute, an internationally recognized institution for autoimmune disease research. VMFH is part of CommonSpirit, one of the nation’s largest health systems, dedicated to advancing health for all people.