North Tidewater News

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) in Virginia celebrated a significant milestone as it was designated as a Level II Trauma Center. The medical center received the provisional designation from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services in August 2023, allowing it to provide care to severely injured civilian patients from the local area.

Captain Billy Ward, NMCP's surgical services director and the master of ceremonies at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, emphasized the historical significance of this achievement for the nation's oldest naval hospital. He welcomed distinguished visitors, including Rear Adm. Darin Via, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Surgeon General, and Rear Adm. Matthew Case, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic commander.

Captain Brian Feldman, NMCP director and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Portsmouth commander, highlighted the medical center's commitment to serving critically injured patients regardless of military affiliation. He praised the military-civilian partnership, stating that it would benefit both the local community and military professionals in their training and readiness.

Rear Adm. Darin Via, who has a personal connection to Portsmouth, having served in various roles at the medical center, expressed his pride in the designation. He described NMCP as the "First and Finest" medical center and celebrated its status as the first U.S. Navy-led Level II Trauma Center in the country and the second in the U.S. Armed Forces. Via emphasized the importance of having another option for emergency responders to transport acutely injured patients in the Hampton Roads area.

While the designation is provisional, NMCP will undergo a modified site review after one year. If no critical deficiencies are found, the medical facility will receive an unconditional designation as a trauma center from the Virginia State Health Commissioner, as outlined in the Virginia Trauma Center Designation Manual.

Captain Feldman concluded the event by emphasizing the commitment of Navy Medicine and the medical center staff to providing optimal care for injured patients. He described the ribbon-cutting ceremony as a symbol of their dedication to sustaining the necessary resources, personnel, and state-of-the-art healthcare to fulfill their mission.

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is a nationally acclaimed military treatment facility that provides medical care to veterans, warfighters, and their families. It is also a premier training platform for military medical service members, supporting research and teaching programs to prepare healthcare professionals for combat operations and public health crises.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.portsmouthva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1362