Beacon trauma surgeon receives Martin Luther King, Jr. Day recognition
Beacon Health System Chief of Trauma Services Dr. Scott Thomas was presented today with a Drum Major for Community Service Award during the 38th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Recognition Breakfast at Century Center in South Bend.
“This is a great honor today,” Dr. Thomas said upon receiving the award. “Dr. King’s work was fundamentally about community. He was passionate about community, and I can say that trauma care is all about community. Thirty years ago, when I came to South Bend as a young surgeon, we had no trauma centers, and I became passionate about trauma care at that point.”
He explained how historically, underprivileged individuals in our community had been disproportionally exposed to trauma, and there was a need for access to trauma care.
“The community came behind this effort to make a difference,” Dr. Thomas said. “Memorial Hospital is now a Level II Trauma Center for South Bend and the region, and Elkhart General is our Level III Trauma Center. Those two trauma centers take care of all trauma patients in northern Indiana and southern Michigan.”
Verified trauma centers need to have specific elements in place to care for injured people, according to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma: commitment, readiness, resources, policies, patient care, and performance improvement. Trauma centers undergo voluntary reviews every three years to maintain their status.
Beacon leaders commended Dr. Thomas for his passion for trauma care in serving our community.
“Trauma can happen to anyone. It knows no boundaries – age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic or others,” said Memorial Hospital President Larry Tracy. “Dr. Thomas has made it his life’s work to improve the human condition in our region through his leadership, advocacy, collaboration, research, teaching and provision of trauma care.”
Beacon Medical Group President Dale Patterson, MD, said Dr. Thomas is a role model and mentor for physician residents and surgeons in our community.
“He has an unwavering commitment to his patients and will go above and beyond to make sure they get the best care possible,” Dr. Patterson said.
During his speech, Dr. Thomas reflected on the teamwork needed to provide trauma care and what it means for our community.
“What affects me the most are the incredible individuals who I work with every day to save lives — the doctors, nurses, therapists and all those team members who work tirelessly to get people back on their feet and ultimately get back home.”
“I’m very, very proud that our community is safer and that no matter who you are, you will receive outstanding trauma care at our trauma centers.”
More about Dr. Thomas
Dr. Thomas serves as the Chief of Trauma Services for Beacon Health System and Medical Director of Trauma Services at Memorial Hospital of South Bend, the region’s only Level II Trauma Center. He is a member of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and also Vice Chair–Committee on Trauma with the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Thomas is a general, vascular and trauma surgeon practicing at Beacon Medical Group Trauma & Surgical Services, South Bend campus. Dr. Thomas was recently appointed to the state’s new Trauma Care Commission.
