Detroit Receiving Hospital, one of nine hospitals operated by Detroit Medical Center, is nearly 100 years old. The hospital's long history has seen different brands and different neighborhoods. While its surroundings come and go, one thing remains consistent: Detroit Receiving's focus on providing excellent care.
The 320-bed hospital has an impressive resume. Detroit Receiving was the American College of Surgeons' first certified Level I trauma center in Michigan. It now trains nearly 70 percent of the state's trauma surgeons and 60 percent of its emergency physicians. It's a received Magnet accreditation for nursing excellence, and with expertise in 12 specialties, it treats more than 100,000 patients every year. It's widely regarded as one of the best hospitals in the country for patients with gunshot wounds.
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Detroit Receiving also hosts the longest-running trauma symposium, which is in its 61st year. The symposium is an international thought-exchange among trauma centers and clinicians. According to Lawrence Diebel, MD, associate chief of surgery at Detroit Receiving and chairman of the Detroit Trauma Symposium Operating Committee, the reason Detroit Receiving is a role model for trauma centers worldwide is because of its commitment to care. "That commitment comes from everyone here. We know we have to involve all of the players to succeed," says Dr. Diebel.
The hospital strives to engage all of its players in patient care. "We're a little bit old school," says Dr. Diebel. "We subscribe to the 'once I'm your doctor, I'm always your doctor' mentality." This extends to the rest of the care team as well, so that one care team will consistently care for a patient from the beginning to the end of his or her treatment. This commitment to the patient is what makes the hospital excellent, in Dr. Diebel's opinion.
"Our patients have forced us to stay on the cutting edge of what's new to patient care. As a result, physicians are staying on top and staying current. Our patients are the impetus for us to strive for better patient care. That will never change here at Receiving," says Dr. Diebel.
That excellence extends to innovation. The hospital is home to several advancements in treatment, such as an electrode treatment to enable the emergent transport of a paralyzed girl, new methods to help patients with crippling pelvic fractures recover faster and get out of bed more successfully. A Receiving physician teaches surgeons around the world about genital reconstructive surgery and another physician discovered the clinical option of surrounding supporting difficult rib fractures with metal plates, so patients wouldn't have permanent narcotic prescriptions.
The innovation doesn't stop at medicine. Detroit Receiving has constructed its care to be a total healing process. It features an art collection with more than 800 pieces, which it began curating in 1968, making it the largest hospital gallery of its kind in the country.
The hospital has every intention to continue its impressive track-record in patient care. "Some of the things we do here are not done anywhere else," says Dr. Diebel, "and for good reason. Receiving has been and continues to be the place to send the complex cases in the region."
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