10/28/2026
The first PTSF Clinical Excellence Award was presented at the 2026 Trauma Symposium to the trauma teams at Lehigh Valley Health Network, recognizing the emergency and trauma staff at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton and their partners at the Level I center at Cedar Crest.
The nomination, submitted by Melanie Bowman, MSN, RN, TCRN, described a single night when Pennsylvania’s trauma system performed exactly as designed. In early 2026, a critically injured patient arrived at the Level IV center in Hazleton. The team responded with fast and exceptional surgical care, stabilizing the patient in the operating room while the trauma surgeon at Cedar Crest coordinated an expedited transfer. Less than two hours after arrival, the patient was en route to the Level I center, where the team continued care through the patient’s recovery and discharge. The Board selected this nomination, in part, because it reflected exceptional clinical care across the entire trauma system: a Level IV community hospital delivering rapid, lifesaving surgical care and stabilization, and a Level I partner ready to receive the patient and continue that care without interruption. Every link in the system performed as designed; the patient survived and returned home with an optimal outcome.
We congratulate the teams at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton and Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest on this well-deserved recognition and thanks to all nine nominees for the dedication they bring to trauma care across Pennsylvania.
