December 21, 2006

Fairview Red Wing, Regions collaborate on critical care
Red Wing, Minn. -- Fairview Red Wing Medical Center and Regions Hospital in St. Paul this week announced that they have signed a critical care transfer agreement. Patients with severe trauma injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents or burns, will be stabilized at FRWMC and then quickly transferred to Regions via ambulance or helicopter.

"Our goal is to better coordinate resources and work in concert with Regions so that residents from the Red Wing area have quick access to the appropriate trauma and emergency care," said Scott Wordelmann, president and CEO of FRWMC.

FRWMC emergency department staff will receive education and training from Regions, which is home to the only Level I trauma center serving the Twin Cities east metropolitan area and western Wisconsin.

Level I trauma centers have teams of expert medical specialists who are at the hospital - not just on call - 24 hours a day. Numerous specialties, such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, radiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and critical care, are available to respond to trauma. The Regions Emergency Center serves more than 66,000 patients annually, with about one-quarter of these patients treated for trauma-related injuries. Approximately 2,500 of these injured patients require hospitalization.

"We are pleased be working with Fairview Red Wing Medical Center," said Regions CEO and President Brock Nelson. "The physicians, staff and management at Fairview Red Wing are crucial to the community health needs. This agreement between our two organizations is a reflection of the collaborative work that best serves community health needs."

Fairview Red Wing Medical Center is a state-of-the-art medical facility combining clinic and hospital services in one building. Over 60 physicians and care providers offer routine healthcare, specialty medical and surgical services, rehabilitation services and emergency and urgent care. Fairview Red Wing Health Services has additional clinic locations in downtown Red Wing, Zumbrota and Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and teaching hospital serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. Regions is a private, non-profit hospital providing outstanding care in womens health, heart, cancer, surgery, orthopaedics, neuroscience, burn, emergency care and more. Regions is part of the HealthPartners family of care. Additional information is available at regionshospital.com.