Tribal Radio | By Sarah Flower
Durango, Colorado experienced two shootings in one week, which is unusual for the area. Sarah Flower of Tribal Radio takes an in-depth look at how Mercy Hospital, the region's largest level III trauma center, responds in times of trauma.
On October 23rd, Mercy Hospital received a call that there were four gunshot victims, three of whom were teenagers. The next day, the hospital received another call about a gunshot victim. Mercy was able to quickly navigate both cases.
Dr. Mike Gleason, the medical director of the emergency department and an emergency physician at Mercy, says that the hospital staff and administration flooded the ER waiting to help. Dr. Brigid O'Holleran, a general and trauma surgeon at Mercy and the trauma medical director, says that while most patients can be and are treated locally, some do need a greater level of care.
Mercy has seen 550 trauma patients in the last year and is on pace to see 22,000 patients in the emergency department in 2023 alone. Dr. O'Holleran says that part of the reason the numbers are so high is because of the large area that Mercy serves.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Gleason is proud of his team and their ability to respond to trauma. He says that the team is trained and equipped to handle any situation, and that they are committed to providing the best possible care to their patients.
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