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Level III Trauma Centre

Southlake is a Level III Trauma Centre

Southlake has been identified as a Level III Trauma Centre. This recognition reflects our commitment to the communities we serve and the highly skilled and multidisciplinary team of medical professionals who work around the clock to provide life-saving care.

Trauma is a term used to describe physical injury that occurs suddenly due to an external force or event. Timely treatment can significantly improve the chances of survival and recovery. Every year, Southlake cares for more than 500 medium acuity trauma patients, including those with wounds resulting from accidents, falls, sports injuries, violence and much more. As a Level III Trauma Centre, Southlake builds on this important work, ensuring that patients experiencing trauma can receive immediate high-quality care closer to home.

In 2021-22, Southlake was identified by Ontario’s Regional Trauma Networks as one of the six initial hospital sites that fulfilled the criteria to function as Level III Trauma Centres to help improve trauma capacity within the healthcare system. With this formal designation, we are now part of a connected trauma system that leverages expertise from other leading centres like Sunnybrook, Unity Health Toronto and SickKids to improve outcomes for patients.

Click here to view the news release.

As a Level III Trauma Centre, Southlake is pleased to host community injury prevention programs, such as STOP the BLEED and P.A.R.T.Y.

 

We have always, and will always, treat patients presenting to our hospital with traumatic injuries, with wounds resulting from accidents, falls, sports injuries, violence or other incidents that cause damage to the body’s tissues, organs and bones.

Over the past 30 years trauma care has become more specialized and research has shown that moderately and severely injured patients tend to have better outcomes when cared for at centres that have systems in place that are specifically catered to trauma care.

Southlake has met criteria from Critical Care Services Ontario to be identified as a Level III Trauma Centre, allowing us to continue to care for these patients as part of an inclusive, integrated and accountable system that leverages expertise from leading centres like Sunnybrook, Unity Health Toronto, and SickKids Hospital to improve outcomes for patients, close to home.

Being identified as a Level III Trauma Centre means we are part of a connected trauma system with our partner hospitals. This identification means enhanced communication, collaboration and partnerships between Regional Trauma Networks and Lead Trauma Hospitals.

Southlake was identified as one of six initial sites in Ontario due to its highly skilled and multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, including surgeons, emergency medicine specialists, and critical care nurses, available 24/7 to respond to injured patients. An inventory of the services and programs we currently offer was completed that confirmed we are positioned well based on what we already provide to patients who present to our hospital.

Patients with multi-system injuries will continue to be triaged at Southlake and transferred to Lead Trauma Hospitals in the GTA like Sunnybrook, Unity Health Toronto, and SickKids Hospital.

No. Volumes of trauma patients are not expected to increase overnight. This is not an immediate transition but will progress along with the growth of the communities we serve. Southlake being identified as a Level III Trauma Centre will help us to improve our trauma care and ensure patients experiencing trauma can receive immediate high-quality care.

STOP THE BLEED®

Bystander intervention is crucial in critical bleeding emergencies. The STOP THE BLEED® program empowers individuals to learn life-saving techniques to control bleeding until medical help arrives.

Our certified instructors offer STOP THE BLEED® training to the general public, high school students and people that work in public areas or venues who may be a first person on scene until a first responder arrives (e.g., security, event staff, community workers).

Why learn STOP THE BLEED®?

A bleeding injury can happen anywhere. We’ve all seen it happen too often—on the news or in everyday life. Life-threatening bleeding can happen in people injured in serious accidents or disasters. Instead of being a witness, you can become an immediate responder because you know how to STOP THE BLEED®.

Get trained!

With three quick actions, you can be trained to save a life! The number one cause of preventable death after injury is bleeding. That’s why we want to train you how to STOP THE BLEED®.

  • Course Information: Learn more about the STOP THE BLEED® program offered at Southlake, including upcoming course dates, registration details, and booking instructions.
  • Official website: Gain in-depth knowledge and register for a course near you.

Register for STOP THE BLEED® below. Once registered, please click here for payment.

Register for STOP the BLEED

A Different Kind of P.A.R.T.Y. – Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth

The P.A.R.T.Y. program is a one-day injury awareness and prevention program for students in grades 10-12. P.A.R.T.Y. was developed in 1986 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and is a vital component of the growing community effort to prevent and reduce death and injury in alcohol-, drug- and risk-related incidents.

Mission: An active life, injury free.

Vision: Reducing the frequency and severity of youth injury.

Values: CARE: Collaboration. Advocacy. Research. Education.

The P.A.R.T.Y. program is about prevention and awareness. It’s about learning from real people and their very real experiences. This P.A.R.T.Y. takes young people through the path of a trauma patient as they are rushed through the trauma room doors, into surgery, rehab and, if lucky enough, recovery. This P.A.R.T.Y. is about experiencing what happens when young people make a decision that changes their life forever.

P.A.R.T.Y. is based on the understanding that 90% of all injuries are both predictable and preventable. Students who participate in the P.A.R.T.Y. program leave knowing that they have the power to make the right choice!

Learn more at PARTYProgram.com.

Affiliated with P.A.R.T.Y. Headquarters at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Join us for a one-day exploration of personal and community safety!

The Southlake P.A.R.T.Y. program (Prevent Alcohol & Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) is excited to offer this dynamic program designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills to stay safe.

Morning:

  • Primary Prevention Strategies: Learn how to reduce your risk of injury through the updated P.A.R.T.Y. program.
  • Real-Life Impact: Hear firsthand from people living with long-term injuries, healthcare professionals, and first responders.
  • Pizza Lunch: Refuel for the afternoon session!

Afternoon:

  • STOP THE BLEED® Course: Gain confidence and competence in life-saving skills to address critical bleeding situations.
  • Learn the Essentials: Identify bleeding types and control them using compression, wound packing, and tourniquet application (if necessary).
  • Empowered to Act: Leave the day prepared to prevent injuries and manage them if they occur.

Registration criteria:

  • Students must be 14 years old or older
  • Group sizes of 10 – 30 students, and 1-2 teachers

Register for P.A.R.T.Y. below. Once registered, click here for payment.

If you have any questions about our program, please contact us at injuryprevention@southlake.ca

Register for P.A.R.T.Y.