UPMC Mercy Expands Patient Access to World-Class Trauma and Burn Care, Names New Trauma Director
PITTSBURGH, October 17, 2008 — UPMC today announced it is expanding patient access to its world-class trauma and burn care. To assist UPMC’s efforts, it has named trauma and burn surgeon Alain Corcos, M.D., as trauma director for UPMC Mercy and is integrating the burn and trauma services of UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Mercy.
The reorganization establishes UPMC as the busiest trauma and burn center in the region and is an integral component of UPMC’s three-to-five year plan to enhance and expand UPMC Mercy’s robust subspecialty service capabilities.
“For the past 25 years, our goal has been to provide this region with the best trauma and burn care in the world,” said Andrew Peitzman, M.D., who has led trauma care at UPMC Presbyterian for more than two decades and will oversee the integrated program. “The trauma and burn service, now with two campuses, will expand our ability to offer patients world class trauma care and to standardize patient care delivery.”
Patients in need of burn and trauma services will continue to receive superior care at both hospital campuses.
“UPMC Mercy was the first comprehensive burn center in the region and one of the first in the United States,” said Will Cook, president of UPMC Mercy. “By integrating these services with UPMC Presbyterian, we are ensuring that our program at UPMC Mercy remains at the highest level of excellence.”
Both UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Mercy are Level I Regional Resource Trauma Centers, an accreditation reflecting the capability of both facilities to care for the most critically ill and injured patients.
“Our goal remains helping each burn or trauma patient recover and re-enter society at the same level of productivity as before the injury,” said Dr. Corcos who, since 1999, has served as assistant director of the trauma and burn center at UPMC Mercy and who has focused on providing exceptional care to patients in the trauma bay and beyond.