The Orange Park Medical Center has reopened its trauma center after a three-year legal battle with the state and the University of Florida Health Jacksonville.
Orange Park Medical Center CEO Chad Patrick told our partner News4Jax, the 52-bed center will help save lives in Clay County.
“Getting those patients to the right facility in the appropriate amount of time is really important. We can reduce the rate of mortality or death by 25 percent if you can get the patient to a designated trauma center within an hour,” Patrick said.
The state revoked Orange Park’s trauma center designation three years ago because of problems with its emergency care.
UF Health Jacksonville fought Orange Park’s reinstatement because it meant trauma patients had to be treated in Jacksonville.
“We are aware of the provisional trauma status recently awarded to several facilities in Florida, including Orange Park, and are now considering our options,” said Dan Leveton at UF Health in an email sent to News4Jax on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Orange Park remains the only level-1 trauma center in the region, meaning victims in the worst shape will continue to be transported there.
