CommonSpirit St. Mary-Corwin Hospital and CommonSpirit St. Elizabeth Hospital have received the Pediatric Advanced designation from the Colorado Pediatric Preparedness for the Emergency Room (COPPER) program.
St. Mary-Corwin is now the only hospital in Pueblo and 11 surrounding counties in Southern and Southeastern Colorado to earn this recognition. Both hospitals are also the first in the CommonSpirit Mountain Region to complete the COPPER designation process.
Mike Cafasso, President of St. Mary-Corwin Hospital, said, “Our mission calls us to improve the health of the people we serve and that begins with taking care of our youngest patients. This Pediatric Advanced designation ensures we are prepared to provide the safest and best care for children and families. We are very proud of our Emergency Department team for making sure every child who visits us receives the best care.”
The COPPER program is a voluntary pediatric readiness initiative developed by EMS for Children Colorado with support from partners across the state. It aims to help emergency departments meet higher standards in pediatric emergency care. Data from EMS Colorado shows that most children seeking emergency treatment—about 69.4%—are seen in departments handling fewer than 15 pediatric patients daily.
John Swanhorst, President of St. Elizabeth Hospital, said, “improving the health of our community starts with meticulously caring for our youngest patients. This Pediatric Advanced designation proudly affirms our extensive preparedness to offer the safest, highest quality care to children and their families. We are incredibly proud of our Emergency Department for their tireless work, ensuring every child receives the best possible treatment”.
COPPER provides two levels of recognition: Pediatric Prepared and Pediatric Advanced, with Advanced as its highest level. To achieve this status, both hospitals designated Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators (PECCs), including both a nurse and a physician, increased equipment dedicated to pediatric care, enhanced training protocols, and at St. Mary-Corwin, formed a multidisciplinary Pediatric Care Committee.
