Piedmont Cartersville Earns Reaccreditation as Level III Trauma Center from the American College of Surgeons
Cartersville, Ga. — Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center has earned reaccreditation as a Level III Trauma Center from the American College of Surgeons (ACS), reaffirming its role as a trusted provider of lifesaving care for patients with traumatic injuries in Northwest Georgia.
The ACS trauma verification process is conducted every three years and involves a comprehensive on-site review by experienced trauma surgeons. The evaluation examines everything from clinical protocols and staff training to equipment readiness and quality improvement programs. This rigorous process ensures that hospitals meet nationally recognized standards for trauma care.
A Level III Trauma Center is equipped to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, and intensive care for injured patients. It guarantees 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians and prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists, along with a robust commitment to community education and injury prevention.
“This reaccreditation reflects the dedication and expertise of our entire team,” said Lori Rakes, CEO of Piedmont Cartersville. “Every day, we live out Piedmont’s values of safety, integrity, and compassion by ensuring patients receive the highest level of care when every second counts.”
Jan Tidwell, Chief Nursing Officer at Piedmont Cartersville, added: “Trauma care is a collaborative effort that demands precision and compassion. Our nurses, physicians, and support staff work tirelessly to meet the stringent standards set by the ACS, and this achievement is a testament to their commitment to excellence and to our patients.”
At Piedmont, we put patients first by delivering care that is safe, compassionate, and built on integrity. Our mission is to make a positive difference in every life we touch, and this designation reflects our unwavering commitment to that promise.
Piedmont Cartersville serves as a critical resource for trauma care in Bartow County and surrounding communities, providing lifesaving interventions and coordinating transfers for patients requiring higher levels of care. The reaccreditation underscores the hospital’s ongoing investment in advanced training, technology, and community education to improve outcomes for trauma patients.
About Piedmont
Piedmont is empowering Georgians by changing health care. We continue to fuel Georgia’s growth through safe, cost-effective, high-quality care close to home through an integrated health care system that provides a hassle-free, unified experience. We are a private, not-for-profit organization with more than 12,000 donors annually that for centuries has sought to make a positive difference in every life we touch in the communities we serve. Across our 2,171 physical locations we care for more than 4.5 million patients and serve communities that comprise 85 percent of Georgia’s population. This includes 26 hospitals, 112 immediate care locations, 1,875 Piedmont Clinic physician practices and more than 3,600 Piedmont Clinic members. Our patients conveniently engage with Piedmont online, as they scheduled more than 560,000 online appointments and over 120,000 virtual visits. With nearly 50,000 care givers we are the largest Georgia-based private employer of Georgians, who all came for the job, but stayed for the people. In 2024 and 2023, Piedmont has earned recognition from Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and also as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women. In 2022, Forbes ranked Piedmont on its list of the Best Large Employers in the United States. Piedmont provided more than $607 million in community impact in Fiscal Year 2024.
For more information, or booking your next appointment, visit piedmont.org.
