2017 Sturgis Rally’s high-demand trauma care met by Black Hills Orthopedic & Spine Center doctors

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital instated Level I Trauma Center care for the 2017 Sturgis event. The 500,000+ event attendees and community members in need of advanced, immediate bone, joint, and muscle care were seen by Black Hills Orthopedic & Spine Center fellowship-trained trauma surgeons, Dr. Michael Kadrmas and Dr. Emmett McEleney.

Traditionally a Level II Trauma Center, the highest level for rural hospitals, this temporary change in levels for the hospital was due to the volume of severely injured patients during this annual event and recent increases in incidents from year to year. Level I Trauma Center care means that the hospital provides 24-hour in-house coverage by surgeons, including orthopedic surgery, acting as a referral resource for communities in nearby areas.

The Sturgis Rally is the one week a year that our surgeons work in an environment that most closely matches the training they underwent. The demand for orthopedic trauma care has grown every year for this event, and our doctors have continued to meet that need.