Dr. Jonathan Gates, Hartford Hospital’s new Chief of Surgery, has more than 25 years of experience in trauma and surgery. Dr. Gates was director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Trauma Center in Boston at the time of the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. Here, he discusses his plans to lead the surgical program at Hartford Hospital.
Q. What does it mean to be a Level 1 Trauma Center?
A. Level I status is a testament to the preparation and team work that is present within all departments and divisions at HH.
The American College of Surgeons is responsible for the accreditation of trauma centers across the US. Level I status indicates that HH is able to care for the sickest of the sick trauma patients. It is the only Level I trauma Center in Hartford and one of two in the state.
Hartford Hospital has a rich heritage of leading-edge trauma care that includes the development of the air ambulance, Life Star, the ATOM course, and The Hartford Consensus with “stop the bleed”.
We hope to build on this incredible historical significance and maintain the luster of the trauma program through research, teaching and top notch clinical care and The ASSET course for vascular exposures in trauma.
Q. What will you bring to the surgical program at Hartford Hospital?
A. My plan is to introduce newer protocols for trauma resuscitation and develop further integration among the divisions and departments involved in trauma care. This will include closer alliances with the pre-hospital environment, further team building with the Emergency department (ED) and development of an Acute Care Surgical Service. I will encourage further collaboration among the other hospitals within Hartford Healthcare focusing on ED, surgical and trauma initiatives.
I look forward to continued work with the educational programs through the University of Connecticut Hospital that includes medical students, surgical residents and fellows as it is our mission and part of my DNA.
I have been involved with surgical education for the better part of 30 years and look forward to the introduction of surgical anatomy for the residents, leadership courses for students and residents and mentoring younger residents and staff. We hope to collaborate with other trauma centers around the country on research projects as we are now a member of the national research collaborative.
Q. Are there any new surgical treatments on the horizon?
A. Hartford Hospital has an excellent array of surgeons and up-to-date procedures that include minimally invasive cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, laparoscopic general surgery and robotics. I also hope to capitalize on my experience collaborating with urologists, general surgical oncologists, thoracic surgeons and endocrine surgeons dealing with tumors involving major vascular structures.