ROSWELL, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News' cameras spent hours with the only trauma center in the state to be designated by the American College of Surgeons
North Fulton Hospital has a level two trauma center located in Roswell. Although the hospital is located in quiet suburbs, Channel 2 saw real medical emergencies the trauma team faces every day. Car accidents, strokes, even drug overdose are some of the emergencies those medical professionals face.
"Trauma is the third leading death in patients of all ages," said Dr. Jigar Patel. He is the emergency department's assistant medical director. "Every emergency physician in the country, I believe does everything they can to jump in and try to save that trauma patient's life."
Cameras were rolling when EMTs brought in 17-year-old Brian Goepfert. He was crossing Roswell High School when he was hit by a car.
After being examined by the trauma team, the only major injury was a broken leg.
"I was in a rush for whatever reason," Goepfert said. "Yeah, you know what it could be a lot worse."
Patel said these cases are motivating to health care professionals.
"A patient who may be in cardiac arrest, or may have an acute problem where we can jump in, provide immediate care and save their life and get them to the proper specialist or department in the hospital, I think that's very gratifying," Patel said.
Other patients weren't as lucky. A 76-year-old man suffering from stroke symptoms arrived at the hospital and received a cat scan in minutes.
"Every second brain cells are dying, every single second when they don't have that oxygen," explained ER nurse Kelley Austin. "The faster we can fix that problem the better outcome the patient will have."
Austin said medicine could save a patient's life if a CAT scan showed a blood clot in the brain. But this patient was suffering from a hemorrhagic stroke, something medicine can't reverse.
"In any stroke patient there's a long road ahead," Kelley said. "It's a tough situation."
That patient died a week after arriving at North Fulton.
Patel said hospital staff is sometimes faced with tough situations they cannot fix.
"That bad outcome does get to you, gets to the staff at times," Patel said. "While we're able to console the family and talk to them about what happened we still have to step up and deliver great care to that next patient."
Although life and death situations may be tough for medical professionals, Patel said that reality makes his days off that much more important.
"You have to savor every day because things can happen quickly," Patel said.
WSBTV
