- Denver Health Medical Center
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Coordinates: 39°43′44″N 104°59′26″W / 39.7288°N 104.9906°W
Denver Health 
Geography Location 777 Bannock Street, Denver, Colorado, United States Organization Hospital type General Affiliated university University of Colorado Denver Services Emergency department Level I trauma center Beds 477 History Founded 1860 Links Website http://www.denverhealth.org/portal/ Lists Hospitals in Colorado Denver Health Medical Center was founded on 1860, and is one of four Level I Trauma Centers in Colorado.[1] The hospital is located near Cherry Creek, in Denver.[2]
Denver Health is one of the primary teaching hospitals in Denver and is affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver.
Denver Health is a integrated health care system that consists of:
- The main Hospital that houses the Rocky Mountain Regional Level 1 Trauma Center (RMRTC) and 477 beds. In 2008, the RMRTC was recognized by the American College of Surgeons as the best trauma center in the United States, based on survival rates.
- Denver Health operates the 911 medical response system for the City and County of Denver, to include Denver Paramedics, 911 operators, and dispatchers. In 2008, Denver Health paramedics responded to more than 84,000 calls for emergency medical assistance.
Denver's Department of Environmental Health(DEH), a City and County of Denver agency, manages and oversees the operating agreement to contract with Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) to provide services related to the medical investigations and medical services for disease control (including clinics)and the administration of vital birth and death records.
DEH and Denver Public Health work together to conduct communicable disease reporting, investigation, and control for Denver. Public and environmental health functions and regulatory authority remains with DEH. DHHA provides communicable disease surveillance and medically-oriented public health functions through their Denver Public Health (DPH) department.
Through numerous grant-funded programs, DPH conducts important research on infectious diseases, including hepatitis surveillance; tuberculosis clinical trials; HIV/AIDS prevention, counseling, testing and treatment; and vaccine trials.
- The Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center (RMPDC) handles most minor poisoning emergencies by telephone. In addition the Center’s staff of toxicologists cares for seriously ill patients in the hospital. Through Denver Health’s 24-hour NurseLine (housed in the RMPDC), patients can get free and confidential answers to health-related questions, possibly avoiding costly Emergency Room visits.
- An 8 clinic network of Family health centers throughout Denver.
- 12 school based clinics in the Denver Public Schools
- Denver CARES detoxification services.
- Correctional care. The main Hospital is equipped with ward capable to care for inmates from the county jails and Colorado Department of Corrections inmates.
- The Rocky Mountain Center for Medical Response to Terrorism, Mass Casualties and Epidemics.
Contents
History
Denver General was established in 1860. The hospital was originally founded near 11th and Wazee, but in 1873, a new medical center was built at the corner of 6th Avenue and Cherokee; this is where Denver Health is located to this day.[citation needed]
The hospital was well known for founding the first nursing school west of the Mississippi and for being one of the earliest facilities for treating Tuberculosis.[citation needed]
The hospital employed many health care visionaries, including, Florence Sabin, who was instrumental in creating a functional Public Health department.[citation needed]
On January 1, 1997, Denver General became a quasi-state agency and was renamed Denver Health Medical Center.
In 1989 a book was written about The Denver General ER, The Knife and Gun Club, Scenes from an Emergency Room by photographer Eugene Richards which received an Award of Excellence from the American College of Emergency Physicians. The book is a collection of stories taken from the Emergency Room and ambulances.[3]
Denver Paramedics
Denver Paramedics is a hospital based paramedic service that is based out of Denver Health. Denver Paramedics are contracted to provide the 911 medical services to The City and County of Denver, The City of Glendale, and Denver International Airport.[4]
The Denver Health Paramedic Division has a fleet of 31 ambulances.At peak times Denver Paramedics has 14 Advance Life support Ambulances available, that are staffed by two Paramedics.[5] and 6 Basic Life Support Ambulances available, that are staffed by two Basic EMT's.
Denver Paramedics respond to an average of 80,000 calls for service a year, an average of 219 calls a day. More than 46,000 patients are transported to Denver area hospitals a year by Denver Paramedics.[6]
The largest number of emergency calls that Denver Paramedics respond to are auto accidents, alcohol intoxication, altered mental status, psychiatric emergencies, falls, chest pain, and shortness of breath, followed by assaults, abdominal pain, seizure, and overdose. Cardiac arrest calls account for one half of one percent of all emergency calls.[7][8][9][10]
See also
- St. Anthony Central Hospital
- Swedish Medical Center (Colorado)
- Denver Paramedics
References
- ^ http://www.facs.org/trauma/verified.html
- ^ http://www.denverhealth.org/portal/AboutDH.aspx
- ^ http://www.sudest57.com/en/eugene_richards_biography-2.html
- ^ http://denverhealth.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=dF-PB-KaEIw%3D&tabid=1966&mid=3083
- ^ http://www.denverems.org/
- ^ http://www.denverems.org/OPERATIONS/AMBULANCEOPERATIONS.aspx
- ^ http://denverhealth.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=dF-PB-KaEIw%3D&tabid=1966&mid=3083
- ^ http://denverhealth.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=dF-PB-KaEIw%3D&tabid=1966&mid=3083
- ^ https://www.denvergov.org/EmergencyInformationCenter/EmergencyContactsandResources/tabid/430211/Default.aspx
- ^ http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/announcements/The_Denver_Health_Paramedics_Go_Green.html
External links
Categories:- Hospitals in Colorado
- Buildings and structures in Denver, Colorado
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