The Orlando Health Foundation announces the generous gift donated to increase the trauma center’s surge capacity – a need recognized following the Pulse nightclub incident on June 12, 2016.
The Orlando Health Foundation announced today a $5 million gift to the Level One Trauma Center at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). The $5 million gift, the largest ever to Orlando Health ORMC, is from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. The generous gift is for the trauma center expansion to increase surge capacity – a need recognized following the Pulse nightclub incident on June 12, 2016.
“We are amazed by the continued generosity of our community,” said John Bozard, president, Orlando Health Foundation. “We count on philanthropic partners to provide the margin of excellence to better serve our patients when it matters the most. This recent gift helps us to continue our mission to serve the community during those critical times of need.”
The gift will be used to purchase technology and update the functionality of the trauma bay to handle a surge of patients. The expansion design will nearly double the size of the current space. The need for space was highlighted during the 2016 incident as the first 36 patients were received in 36 minutes, quickly filling the trauma bays and patient beds within the Emergency Department.
“We are deeply appreciative of the extraordinary donation,” said Mark A. Jones, president, Orlando Health ORMC. “Such a significant gift will have a tremendous impact in helping improve our ability to provide care for a rapid influx of patients within our trauma bay.”
The trauma bay was originally designed almost 30 years ago to serve an estimated 1,000 patients a year. Last year, 2020, the trauma team treated more than 6,000 trauma patients.
“As the Level One Trauma Center, our team is always prepared and ready to provide care to our community and respond to critical injuries, conditions, and illnesses,” said Joseph Ibrahim, MD, trauma medical director, Orlando Health ORMC. “Being able to expand the trauma bay will provide significant surge capacity during a mass casualty incident – whether a car crash, a fire, a natural disaster, or other incident. We are grateful to the community for its ongoing support of the trauma care we provided during our response to the Pulse tragedy and every day.”
In responding to the Pulse nightclub incident, Orlando Health treated nearly 50 patients. Of those, 44 were treated at the Level One Trauma Center at Orlando Health ORMC. In the first wave of patients, 36 arrived in 36 minutes. In the first 24 hours, 28 trauma surgeries were completed with operating rooms in use simultaneously throughout the day. By early September 2016, all 35 patients who survived had been discharged from the hospital. More than 1,200 team members participated in post trauma support sessions. Since the tragedy, Orlando Health has provided nearly $12 million in unbilled charges for Pulse victims.
The $5 million gift is part of the Foundation’s Improving Our Capacity to Care campaign to build awareness and philanthropic partnerships to support critical needs of the Level One Trauma Center.
For more information about the campaign, please call the Orlando Health Foundation at 321.841.5194.
