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After nearly a decade of work, Inova Loudoun Hospital on Tuesday celebrated the designation of its Virts Miller Family Emergency and Trauma Center as a Level II trauma center – the first in the county.
As a Level II center, the hospital delivers immediate, expert trauma care 24/7, with trauma-trained surgeons, specialized nurses, critical care teams, and advanced equipment always on hand.
“That achievement reflects years of dedication, collaboration and a shared belief in what exceptional care should look like,” Inova Loudoun Hospital President Susan Carroll said.
Carroll said the hospital is now better able to serve county residents during the most critical of times.
“When someone in our county experiences a traumatic injury, whether it’s a car accident, fall or life-threatening medical emergency, they deserve immediate expert care close to home. Today, we can say with full confidence that they have that right here in Loudoun,” she said.
Carroll thanked community partners that helped to make the designation possible including lead donors Sharon Virts and Scott Miller.
Virts and Miller said they decided to invest in the project in 2015 when their family was undergoing an emergency.
“Sharon and I were shocked during that period, shocked, to find out there was no level of trauma medical care in Loudoun County at that point,” Miller said. “… We were equally surprised to learn that Inova Loudoun was a not-for-profit hospital. So those two facts moved us to action. If not for us, then who? And it made it an easy yes. With Inova Loudoun now a level II trauma center, families in our community no longer must travel far for the care they need most urgently.”
“Each time the Loudoun ER sends a patient to Fairfax, we give away a little piece of our credibility, and the confidence that we can take care of our own here in Loudoun County. That ends today,” Virts said.
”Our family has experienced firsthand how vital it is to have world class trauma care close to home. When lives hang in the balance, every minute—and every mile—matters. Philanthropy plays a crucial role in healthcare. It allows us to dream bigger, move faster, and serve better. Our family is proud to
have supported this effort — and even prouder to see what it’s become,” Virts and Miller stated.
Department of Emergency Medicine Chairman Edward Puccio said operating as a level II trauma center will make a big difference in the community.
“When minutes matter, those are my biggest priority, where seconds can make the difference between life and death. And I really felt that trauma was one of those areas that we needed to focus on, because when we had to transfer many patients to Fairfax every month, I often worried that they weren’t going to make it there alive and having this trauma designation really reassures me that everyone is getting the excellent care that they deserve right very close to home,” he said.
Trauma Program Director Jordan Tyczka said getting the right equipment, technology and procedures in place were all part of the eight year-long effort, but more importantly – and challenging – was finding the right people to provide the next level of care around the clock.
“Trauma centers are an incredibly complicated process that has so many service lines that are intertwined in one another, and having the right people in the right place at the right time is really important,” she said.
The hospital can now provide even more comprehensive treatment to patients.
“If you’re coming in for abdominal pain and you need to have your gallbladder out, we now have 24/7 surgeons prepared for that. If you have a pathological fracture that wasn’t from a trauma related accident, but you have a fracture, we now have surgeons to deal with that. And so, it’s really about having all of those people in place before you can become this level of a trauma center,” Tyczka said.
Now, the hospital is looking to the future to provide even higher levels of service to Loudoun County.
“What’s really, really big about this is having all of these specialists in house 24/7, available for anything that you need, not just because you were in a car crash, not only is it huge for Loudoun County, but it’s also going to show the trajectory for us in 10 years. What’s next? And that’s what’s beautiful about Inova. It’s not, alright, we’re here. We’ve made it. It’s what’s next? What else are we not providing to our community? What does our community need?” she said.
County Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) and Vice Chair Michael Turner (D-Ashburn) presented the hospital with a resolution from the Board of Supervisors recognizing its achievement.