Department of Surgery News | Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

<BIG>
DIVISION OF TRAUMA, EMERGENCY SURGERY, AND SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE ESTABLISHED
</BIG>

Dr. James A. Vosswinkel Appointed Chief

</a>

<div class="caption">Dr. James A. Vosswinkel</div>
</div>

We are very pleased to announce the establishment of our <a href="/surgery/divisions/trauma-surgical-critical-care" >Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care</a>, and that <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-james-a-vosswinkel">James A. Vosswinkel, MD</a>, assistant professor of surgery, has been appointed division chief.

The new division will offer emergency surgery for all types of traumatic injuries as well as for acute abdominal disease, and will continue to provide the top-quality patient care of our trauma/surgical critical care service, which has long been a section of our <a href="http://medicine.stonybrookmedicine.edu/surgery/divisions/general-surger… of General Surgery</a>.

Dr. Vosswinkel previously served as section head of trauma/surgical critical care and through his leadership the program has grown.

The Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care provides around-the-clock care for patients requiring trauma and emergency surgery, as well as for patients in the hospital's surgical intensive care unit.

<a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-alexander-b-dagum">Alexander B. Dagum, MD</a>, professor and interim chairman of surgery, says: "Dr. Vosswinkel with his trauma/critical care team has been working hard in preparation for the American College Surgeons trauma accreditation of our Trauma Center and SICU of the 21st century.

"These tasks both will require a great deal of planning and execution to succeed, and I have no doubt that Dr. Vosswinkel and his team will make it happen."

Stony Brook University Hospital — our region's only state-designated Level 1 Trauma Center — is among four of 40 trauma centers in the state with survival rates for patients with severe traumatic injury that are significantly above the statewide average.

<div class="callout">In 2011, Dr. Vosswinkel was honored as one of two physicians selected by their faculty peers as the recipients of the year's Stony Brook University Physicians Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice.</div>

Originally established in 1986, our trauma service treats more than 1800 patients annually, among whom at least 800 on average have moderate to severe injuries.

In addition to direct admissions, we consult on and receive transfers of complex, critically injured patients from all points in Suffolk County, and every community and Level 2 trauma hospital in the region. Stony Brook also serves as EMS
control for all of Suffolk County's ground and air ambulances.

Our trauma service has been recognized by multiple state and federal healthcare agencies as providing among the highest level of care to injured patients in the country.

As director of the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) since 2008, Dr. Vosswinkel has had an enormous impact on quality outcomes and reduced complications rates of the SICU.

Dr. Vosswinkel joined the faculty of the Department of Surgery in 2002.

Board certified in surgery and surgical critical care, Dr. Vosswinkel received his medical degree from the SUNY Upstate Medical University, and completed his residency training in general surgery at Stony Brook. Subsequently, he completed a fellowship in trauma/surgical critical care at Yale University.

Dr. Vosswinkel's clinical expertise includes traumatology, conventional and minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, and the pre- and post-operative critical care of adult surgical patients.