An accrediting body will determine the status of New Mexico's only Level I trauma center with a visit to the embattled neurosurgery division at UNM Hospital next week.
The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma is scheduled to evaluate the division Monday and Tuesday, hospital spokesman Sam Giammo said. UNM expects the results by the end of October, he said.
The Level I designation reflects a facility's ability to quickly treat injuries caused by trauma, such as shootings or car accidents.
Many within the division have expressed concerns that the hospital will be unable to keep the designation because of staffing deficiencies.
As of yesterday, all six of the division's residents had resigned, Giammo said. One of the six faculty members has also submitted a resignation, he said.
"I have heard of others" who have submitted resignations, "but we just don't have any information on that to release right now," Giammo said.
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Hospital officials are discussing employment issues with all the neurosurgeons, Giammo said.
Faculty members and former residents within the division said the demotion of Bruce Storrs from division chief last month caused the resignations.
Neurosurgeons operate on the brain or spine. Residents are students with medical degrees who are training in specialty areas.
The hospital is negotiating with New Mexico neurosurgeons to fill vacancies on the staff and is also recruiting residents, Giammo said.
The hospital plans to keep the residency program intact, he said.
"The program itself is not gone," Giammo said. "This doesn't mean we can't get other residents."
