Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Receives Reverification as a Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons

Published on: 1/4/2023

MIAMI – The Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez Family Pediatric Trauma Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Emergency Department has received reverification as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the trauma center's commitment to providing life-saving care to children throughout South Florida. Nicklaus Children’s is the only hospital in South Florida to achieve Level I Pediatric Trauma Center verification.

Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the COT's Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the necessary hospital resources for trauma care, but also a spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients.
This reverification allows Nicklaus Children’s to continue operating as a Pediatric Trauma Center through 2025. The hospital was also verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the ACS Committee in 2018, making
Nicklaus Children’s the only hospital in South Florida to achieve Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center verification at the time.

"We are pleased to have earned this reverification. It is a testament to our team of doctors, nurses and support staff who are committed to providing every child treated at our trauma center with exceptional care,” said Perry Ann Reed, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Nicklaus Children’s Health System and President at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

The Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez Family Pediatric Trauma Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Emergency Department is one of only two freestanding pediatric trauma centers in the state of Florida and the only freestanding trauma center in South Florida The Trauma Center currently includes four trauma treatment bays within the Emergency Department capable of treating up to eight traumatically injured patients and serves children from birth to under 16 years of age, with outstanding outcomes.