As we welcome the month of June, I want to take a moment to recognize an extraordinary achievement for Aspen Valley Health and to thank the many individuals who contribute every day to the exceptional care available in our community. This past month, Aspen Valley Health successfully completed its Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Level III Trauma Center recertification review with full accreditation and no deficiencies or reservations identified by the state survey team.
Even more meaningful, the reviewers described AVH as the “gold standard” for Level III trauma centers in Colorado, noting that some Level I and II centers could learn from the systems and processes developed here at Aspen Valley Health. It is important to note that the Level III designation is not indicative of lower quality—quite the opposite and, in fact, requires continuous high-level support from multiple clinical and non-clinical disciplines to achieve the standard of care across specialties that the inspectors recognized as exemplary.
This recognition reflects years of preparation, collaboration, and commitment across our entire organization. Trauma care is one of the most complex areas of medicine and depends on seamless coordination among physicians, nurses, EMS providers, ski patrol, laboratory teams, radiology staff, rehabilitation specialists, operating room personnel, and many others. The review team specifically praised the strength of our multidisciplinary approach and the culture of excellence that exists throughout AVH.
Importantly, this designation reinforces that our community has access to outstanding trauma care close to home. Over the past several years, AVH has continued to expand its capabilities, including advanced chest wall reconstruction and rib plating procedures, comprehensive concussion and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, and whole blood transfusion protocols coordinated with local EMS agencies. These services allow many patients injured in skiing, biking, hiking, and other mountain activities to receive advanced treatment here in Aspen rather than being transferred elsewhere.
This accomplishment belongs to every member of the AVH team as well as our many community partners, including local EMS agencies and ski patrol organizations. Their dedication and professionalism are what make this level of care possible, and I could not be more proud of what they have achieved together.
As summer begins, we also want to say thank you to the many community members who joined us at our recent Health Fair in Aspen and El Jebel. Events like these provide access to valuable health screenings, educational resources, wellness information, and opportunities to connect with our care teams. We look forward to them every year, and we know you do, too. Your next opportunity to participate will be at our fall Health Fair on October 2 and 3.
Thank you, as always, for your continued trust and partnership. It is an honor and privilege to serve the Aspen and Roaring Fork Valley communities.
Warm regards,
Richard Becker, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Aspen Valley Health