How to host a successful COT virtual site visit: 9 lessons from a Level I trauma center

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) introduced virtual site visits in 2020 as a way to facilitate trauma center verification during COVID-19. Even after the pandemic eases, virtual visits will likely continue in some form for many centers.

So far, only a small percentage of verified trauma centers have experienced a virtual site visit. How does the virtual review experience differ from an in-person survey and how can trauma programs prepare?

To find out, I recently spoke with trauma program leaders at Research Medical Center (RMC) in Kansas City, Missouri. RMC, part of HCA Midwest Health and HCA Healthcare, has been a state-designated Level I trauma center for several years. In April the hospital became one of the first centers in the U.S. to go through an initial ACS Level I verification survey in the new virtual format.

The team at RMC shared nine lessons on how to plan for a virtual visit, manage the different components of a remote survey and ensure a successful outcome.