Ground Broken on Trauma Center Expansion

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Posted on December 4, 2018

Casandra Andrews

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With contributions of $4 million from the state and a private donation of $5 million from local businessman and philanthropist Bert Meisler, USA Health and University of South Alabama officials along with Gov. Kay Ivey broke ground on the Fanny Meisler Trauma Center at University Hospital on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018.

Planned for the Spring of 2020, the new construction and renovation will expand and modernize the current space, enhancing the hospital’s ability to accommodate patients with traumatic injuries and respond to mass casualty situations in the region. The center is named for Fanny Meisler, the late wife of Bert Meisler, who announced a $5 million gift to USA Health earlier this year.  

Gov. Ivey announced the economic development grant of $4 million in August 2017 for the trauma center, recognizing the need for expansion of University Hospital’s existing Emergency Department.

“We are proud to support the work of University Hospital as the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center,” Gov. Ivey said. “We depend on this care for our residents. This service is also vital to our state’s economic development efforts, as corporations demand this level of care when they look to relocate to Alabama.”

University Hospital is the only academic medical center in the region where patients can receive the highest level of care when a traumatic injury occurs. A dedicated trauma team of specialized physicians and staff is on standby at the hospital 24 hours a day, every day, ready to help patients at a moment’s notice.

“We are grateful Gov. Ivey and Bert Meisler recognize the importance of an expanded Level 1 Trauma Center in our region and the role our dedication to quality healthcare has in attracting more businesses and saving more lives,” said University of South Alabama President Dr. Tony Waldrop.

About University Hospital

As a state-certified Level 1 Trauma and Burn Center, USA Health University Hospital serves as the major referral center for patients with traumatic injuries from southern Alabama, southeast Mississippi, and portions of northwest Florida. The hospital’s designated trauma team - which includes around-the-clock trauma surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons and neurosurgeons - treats an average of five critically injured patients a day, which is more than 1,700 people a year. As the go-to facility for the area’s toughest emergencies, University Hospital is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.

About USA Health

With more than 3,800 employees, USA Health is unlike any other health care organization on the Alabama Gulf Coast. It includes University Hospital, USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, USA Physicians Group and USA College of Medicine. At least one-third of local physicians, some 2,500, received their training at University Hospital, formerly USA Medical Center. More than 10,400 nurses and 5,600 allied health professionals received training at USA hospitals. USA Health has an annual economic impact of more than $791 million annually.

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