For many years, the Burnett Burn Center at The University of Kansas Hospital has received verification from the American Burn Association and The American College of Surgeons as an adult burn center.
After an extensive review by these national organizations, the Burnett Burn center has now been verified as a pediatric burn center as well. It is the only facility in the region to receive this certification.
Richard Korentager, MD, chair of Plastic Surgery and Burns, explained that the credentialing process is purely voluntary, but the national certification assures burn patients of all ages receive the highest levels of care at The University of Kansas Hospital.
Korentager noted the program has a mortality index among the lowest in the country, 0.58. A mortality index score of 1.0 means a burn program recorded the number of deaths expected based on the severity of burn injuries, so any score lower than 1.0 is a strong one.
In other words, for every 10 patients expected to die because of the severity of their burns, 4 lived that would not have been likely to live at another burn center.
In order to receive verification, each hospital undergoes an on-site review by an external team of experienced surgeons. Verified burn centers must meet criteria that ensure burn care capability and institutional performance.
Care of the burn patient is truly multidisciplinary, requiring expertise provided by physicians, scientists, nurses, and therapists in critical care, infection, metabolism, nutrition, wound care, reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The Burnett Burn Center at The University of Kansas Hospital has been serving patients for 39 years. Nearly 350 patients are admitted to the Burn Center each year.
