The Mackinac Straits Health System (MSHS) plays a key role in patient care for the Straits of Mackinac region. Not only providing primary care services with clinics located in Mackinaw City, Cheboygan, Mackinac Island, and St. Ignace, the system also serves a busy thoroughfares such as I-75 and U.S. 2 that connect with the Mackinac Bridge.
This means a large amount of tourists, campers, and summer residents, along with many trucks hauling goods all year long. Plus, there are the busy ferry boats to Mackinac Island. The amount of traffic and the number of visitors leads to a large need for emergency medical services. The Hospital has always responded to the need, thanks to local first responders, an experienced staff and continuous training.
Now, the Health System has the certification to go along with it, recently being designated as a Level IV Trauma Center
“Becoming a designated Level IV Trauma Center requires continuous performance improvement initiatives, projects and continued staff education to remain well prepared to treat our community,” according to Susan Strich, MD, Trauma Program Medical Director and longtime Emergency Room physician in St. Ignace. “To be certified, we had to demonstrate the ability to provide evaluations, as well as stabilize and diagnose injured patients. Other elements included having 24-hour laboratory coverage, and have trained trauma nurses and physicians upon patient arrival.”
A Level IV Trauma Facility provides resuscitation, stabilization, and assessment of injury victims and either provides treatment or arranges for appropriate transfer to a higher level designated trauma facility. It also provides ongoing educational opportunities in trauma related topics for health care professionals and the public, and implements targeted injury prevention programs. Level IV facilities provide stabilization and advanced trauma life support prior to patient transfer to a Level I or II facility.
“The entire team put forth a significant effort to ensure we obtained this certification,” said Jamie Menominee, RN, Trauma Program Manager. “We take great pride in the delivery of quality Emergency services for our community.”
MSHS serves the Straits of Mackinac region with local access to high quality health care. MSHS is based at the St. Ignace Campus which includes a 15-bed Critical Access Hospital that houses a Rural Health Clinic, Oncology Clinic, Outpatient Surgical Center, Tribal Health Clinic, Straits Area Pharmacy, Emergency Room, Fast Care (Walk-In Clinic), Physical Therapy and a 48-bed long-term care facility (Evergreen Living Center). Other locations include Bois Blanc Island Medical
Center, Mackinaw City Medical Clinic, Mackinaw City Specialty Clinic, Mackinac Island Medical Center, and Rivertown Medical Clinic in Cheboygan. MSHS is an affiliate of MyMichigan Health and is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For more information on these locations and the services available, visit: www.mackinacstraitshealth.org.
*Attached is photo of the MSHS Trauma Team. Back row, left to right are Tammy Lovitt, Kacey Wojan, Debbie Lull, and Megan Swain. Front row, left to right are Cindy Donajkowski, Jamie Menominee, Carol Elmblad, and Dr. Susan Strich. Not pictured, but valuable members of the Trauma Committee were Karen Yoder, Tobey Mitchell, Angie Amble, Sheryl Thayer, Chase Izzard, and Mark Wilk.
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