A team of health professionals from the Mississippi Department of Health will survey the two Natchez hospitals this spring and assign each a trauma designation based on their ability to care for serious injury.

The new designation will help the hospitals join an emerging statewide trauma network, established to help identify and better utilize trauma services.

Natchez Regional&160;Medical Center has requested a Level IV designation and Natchez Community Hospital is seeking a Level III designation under the Mississippi Trauma Care System, said Kelly Shannon, spokesperson for the state Department of Health.

The Natchez hospitals have never had their emergency services &uot;rated&uot; before, said Karen Fiducia, interim CEO for Natchez Regional.

&uot;We put in our application over a year ago,&uot; she said. Based on available medical specialists in the Miss-Lou area, NRMC chose a level of care that would emphasize stabilization of patients prior to transfer to more advanced facilities.

&uot;The Department of Health will look at such things as your neurosurgical coverage and whether you do open heart (surgery),&uot; she said. &uot;And if we don’t have 24-hour coverage in areas like that, we in all honesty should not seek a designation that implies that we do.&uot;

Hospitals will be judged according to a specific set of emergency medicine criteria under the Division of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health, with a Level I to Level IV ranking assigned. Only University Medical Center in Jackson has met the requirements for a Level I designation — the top allowed. It has not formally received that designation.

Fiducia said the level of trauma designation likely will be the same for both Natchez hospitals once the rating is complete. &uot;Most likely whichever designation we get will be the same for both hospitals in that we’re accessing the same group of physicians,&uot; she said.

According to the Mississippi Trauma Care System Regulations Manual, a Level III trauma center will resuscitate a patient and can operate to control bleeding and stabilize the patient before transporting to a higher level trauma center. Patients can stay in a Level III trauma center unless their medical needs require higher level care. A Level IV trauma center can resuscitate the patient before transferring patients to a higher level of care.

&uot;It will probably take two to three years to get together the statewide program,&uot; said Mary Patterson, Mississippi Hospital Association vice president for policy. &uot;They will maintain artificial geographical boundaries,&uot; Patterson said, noting that the goal is to be sure that all Mississippians have an organized system of trauma care.