NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Receives Reverification as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS)
The hospital’s reverification as a Level 1 Trauma Center confirms its status as a regional leader in trauma care
Aug 22, 2025
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has once again been verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) following a comprehensive reverification site visit. This achievement reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to providing the highest standard of care for trauma patients across Brooklyn and beyond.
The ACS Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program confirms that verified trauma centers meet rigorous national criteria and are fully equipped to handle the most severe and complex traumatic injuries. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County’s reverification as a Level 1 Trauma Center confirms its status as a regional leader in trauma care. The VRC is designed to help hospitals evaluate and improve their trauma care systems. Through comprehensive on-site peer reviews, the ACS assesses each hospital’s trauma readiness, including its commitment, policies, procedures, performance improvement, and resources. This external validation helps institutions enhance their capabilities and ensure they meet nationally recognized standards for the treatment of injured patients.
“The American College of Surgeons’ reverification of our Level 1 Trauma Center affirms the team’s unwavering commitment to excellence,” said Sheldon McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “At Kings County, we deliver patient-centered, lifesaving care every day.”
“Successful management of the severely injured patient almost always requires the collaborative and cooperative effort of a multitude of disciplines,” said Melvin E. Stone Jr., MD, MSEE, FACS, Chief of Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “Kings County’s most recent successful ACS Level 1 Trauma verification visit was really a testament of how well we come together in that spirit of collaboration and cooperation to provide the best care for injured patients.”
“We deliver the highest level of care to trauma patients in accordance with the national standards of the American College of Surgeons,” said Dr. Valery Roudnitsky, Trauma Medical Director and Surgeon at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “Our success is the result of dedicated work by our trauma team, hospital administration, social workers, nurses, doctors, housekeeping staff, engineers, and all hospital departments. We are thankful to everyone and will continue to get better.”
“Successfully achieving Level 1 trauma reverification speaks volumes about the dedication, teamwork, and resilience of our trauma program,” said Fred Harry, RPA-C, Program Manager at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “It’s a proud moment that highlights Kings County’s continued commitment to delivering the highest quality care to every patient who comes through our doors.”
This reverification underscores the hospital’s multidisciplinary strength, commitment to evidence-based clinical standards, and dedication to delivering timely, life-saving care to the community.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Davis, Chief Communications Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
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About the American College of Surgeons (ACS)
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons founded in 1913 to improve the quality of care for surgical patients by setting high standards for surgical education and practice. With more than 90,000 members, it is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. The ACS is dedicated to improving the care of surgical patients and safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 639-bed acute care teaching hospital located in Central Brooklyn. Among our highly specialized programs are a Level 1 Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Room, Level 3 Perinatal Center, Heart Health Center, Stroke Center, Sickle Cell Program, Behavioral Health Center, and Diabetes Education Center of Excellence. Many of our programs have received national recognition, including our cardiac, stroke, and diabetes services. The hospital offers a broad array of primary and specialty care, including practices in neuroscience, orthopedics, urology and cardiology. Annually, our ambulatory care practices see well over 500,000 visits and more than 150,000 visits in the Behavioral Health outpatient program, in addition to close to 23,000 inpatient discharges. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831 and is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information, visit nychealthandhospitals.org/kingscounty and stay connected on Facebook at facebook.com/KingsCountyHosp or X at @KingsCountyHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
