Trauma Center at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center

The PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Trauma Team is comprised of 10 surgeons who are all board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. In addition, there are four physician assistants who assist the surgeon in taking care of patients in the ED, ICU, ward, OR, and in clinic.

Together, these 14 members, are there when the injured patient arrives in the emergency department, round daily in the ICU and ward, arrange the discharge, and continue the care in clinic. We are a Washington state verified Level 2 trauma center working out of a 450 bed hospital and see roughly 2000 traumas per year. We have two surgeons on at a time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

For trauma, we have many patients that fall who are on blood thinners such as warfarin, involved in car and motorcycle crashes, gunshot and stab wounds, etc. Our team is skilled at managing shock and resuscitating with a large volume of blood products or reversing coagulopathy. We work very closely with neurosurgeons and orthopedists as many patients have combined head injuries and long bone fractures. 

We also take care of acute care surgery problems such as appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, small bowel obstructions, diverticulitis, perforated duodenal ulcers, necrotizing soft tissue infections, etc. Our surgeons are skilled at laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, colectomy, wound debridement, tracheostomy, feeding access (PEG), thoracostomy (chest tube), central venous access, arterial lines, bronchoscopy, etc. 

For both trauma and acute care surgery, all of our surgeons act as the intensivist, i.e. managing blood pressure and heart rate, adjusting the ventilator, correcting electrolytes, optimizing nutrition, addressing urine output, etc. We work closely with pharmacists, nutritionists, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, wound care specialists, speech pathologists, social workers, and nursing to get the patient back to a normal way of life. 

PeaceHealth Southwest Trauma Center is designated center equipped to handle any complexity and severity of a trauma.  The center has a multi-disciplinary team consisting of:

• Trauma surgeons with additional expertise in acute care surgery and surgical critical care
• Emergency Medicine Specialists with expertise in stabilization of acute, life-threatening illness.
• Orthopaedic surgeons with special expertise in complex orthopedic injuries including complex pelvic fractures.
• Reconstructive plastic surgeons.
• Neurosurgeons trained in all aspects of managing traumatic brain and spine injuries.
• ENT and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) with interest in complex facial fractures.
• Interventional Radiologists that are able to perform procedures such as embolization of a spleen or placing a cholecystostomy tube.

In addition, the trauma team works closely with the following professionals:

The trauma providers also work with these clinics to provide follow-up care for those who have been hospitalized for a traumatic injury at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

Trauma Surgeons 

Andrew W. Jennings MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Dr. Jennings was born and raised in Texas. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center followed by completing his general surgery residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Jennings then completed a fellowship in surgical critical care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital. He practiced in Dallas for two years prior to relocating to the Pacific Northwest. In his spare time he enjoys exploring the local trails, traveling, cooking, reading and spending time with his family.

Tracy A. Timmons MD

Surgical Critical Care

Dr. Timmons is board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. Her specialty is trauma. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Eastern Association for Surgery in Trauma and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Stephanie A. Sea MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Dr. Sea was born and raised in central Illinois. After completing medical school at Southern Illinois University, she moved to Philadelphia where she completed her training in General Surgery at Einstein Medical Center in 2015. She pursued and completed a fellowship in Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California in 2016. She worked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a Trauma and Critical Care Surgeon at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, also serving as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Sea relocated to the Pacific Northwest in spring of 2018 joining the Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Team at PeaceHealth Southwest. She enjoys mountain biking, hiking and all water sports.

Andrea J. King MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Dr. King loves to travel which is represented by her training across the country. She received her undergraduate degree at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, her medical degree at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico and completed her training in Cleveland, Ohio at University Hospitals Case Medical Center for General Surgery Residency and MetroHealth Medical Center for Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. Her Alaskan born roots have brought her back to the Pacific Northwest for the outdoor adventure. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to visit her family, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, cheering on the Cleveland Cavaliers and pretty much anything to do with water.

Khaled Pharaon MD

Trauma Surgery

Surgical Critical Care

Originally from Louisiana, Dr. Pharaon received his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, where he also began his General Surgery training. Hurricane Katrina struck during his intern year and he was stranded for six days in the hospital. While stranded, Dr. Pharaon helped organize the triage, care, and evacuation of patients. He then relocated to Little Rock and completed his General Surgery training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. At Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Dr. Pharaon completed a fellowship in Trauma and Critical Care. Dr. Pharaon is a member of The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, The Society of Critical Care Medicine, and Portland Surgical Society. He is also a member of the Fellow of American College of Surgeons (FACS). He has written several book chapters in various surgical texts over the last few years. When he is not practicing medicine, he enjoys international travel, photography, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Michael J. Casey MD

Trauma Surgery

General Surgery

Dr. Michael J. Casey, is board certified physician who specializes in trauma and critical care. He belongs to numerous medical and specialty societies. He has also served as the Alaska State director for disaster management. His clinical interests include trauma and prevention, critical care medicine, complex abdominal closures and urology. Dr. Casey is also a biomedical design engineer and has served as the Alaska state director for disaster management. His philosophy of care is to care for people as if they were his own family and he says the best thing about his job is the people he gets to meet and his partners. A Nevada native, Dr. Casey and his wife have five children. In addition to time with his family, he enjoys gardening, playing with his dogs, off-roading and metal-sculpting.

Tim H. Lee MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Loic J. Fabricant MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Loic Fabricant, MD, is a member of the PeaceHealth Southwest trauma team, providing emergency general surgery and surgical critical care. Trauma surgeons must be ready at all times to handle a wide variety of unplanned high-risk medical emergencies. “I chose my career in trauma care for the opportunity to help others during what are often the most stressful moments of their lives,” said Dr. Fabricant. “My goal is to treat patients as I would my own family – by listening, informing and assisting in decisions that will lead to the best possible outcomes.” Dr. Fabricant is a Pacific Northwest native, graduating from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and from Oregon Health & Science University with a medical degree, residency in general surgery, and fellowship in surgical critical care. He is certified in general surgery and surgical critical care by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Fabricant has previously provided care in numerous medical facilities within Oregon. He also worked at The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont. During his time at the University of Vermont, Dr. Fabricant was an assistant professor at the Larner College of Medicine where he was honored for three consecutive years with the Howe Outstanding Teacher of Surgery Award. In his free time, Dr. Fabricant enjoys cooking , snowboarding, kiteboarding, and hiking with his two standard poodles.

Yuxuan Jerry Wang MD

Trauma Surgery

General Surgery

Jerry Wang, MD, grew up in a small town in New Mexico and attended the University of New Mexico for undergrad as well as medical school. He went to University of California – Riverside for general surgery residency and completed his trauma surgery fellowship at Oregon Health and Sciences University. He enjoys spending time with his family outdoors, playing soccer, and playing music.

Brian J. Zeithaml MD

Surgical Critical Care

General Surgery

Dr. Zeithaml was raised in North Carolina, where he received his undergraduate and medical degrees from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a medical student, he directed the oldest and largest student-run free clinic in the United States, the Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC). Inspired by the privilege of serving populations in need and his calling to surgery, he completed his general surgery residency, surgical critical care fellowship, and acute care surgery fellowship at East Carolina University under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Toschlog. Dr. Zeithaml is a member of The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and The Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is an aspiring member of the Fellow of American College of Surgeons (FACS). When he is not practicing medicine, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, hiking, and playing hockey and lacrosse.

Physician Assistants

Alexandria C. Russi PA

Physician Assistant - Trauma Surgery

Erin A. Whitehall PA

Physician Assistant - Trauma Surgery

Erin A. Whitehall is a Physician Assistant in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery who began working at PeaceHealth Southwest in 2014. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Albany Medical College in Albany, NY in 2012. Prior to starting at PeaceHealth Southwest, she worked in General Surgery in the Seattle area for 2 years. She enjoys working with patients with complex medical and surgical issues, assisting in the operating room, and coordinating recovery treatments and therapies for trauma patients while they are in the hospital and outpatient clinic setting. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her growing family, running, cheering on the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers, exploring new restaurants in the Portland area, and traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Cassandra L. Sappington PA

Physician Assistant - Trauma Surgery

Cassandra Sappington is a certified Physician Assistant on the Trauma Team and PeaceHealth Southwest. She has been at Southwest since 1991 working in various capacities. She was an Emergency Department RN for 12 years prior to return to school to obtain her Bachelor’s in Physician Assistant studies in 2008. She has since obtained her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant studies. She enjoys working with trauma patients, especially with the aspect of seeing patients get better allowing them to return to their prior activities. She enjoys working with such a great team who are all supportive and focused on creating an environment to enhance outcomes. In her spare time, she enjoys her animals which include dogs, ducks, geese, chickens, and cockatoos. She also enjoys camping, hiking, scrapbooking as well as time with her family and friends.

Rapid Admit/Transfer Line

360-514-1000

The PeaceHealth trauma and acute care surgery team strives to meet the needs of the community.  Our services are accessible and responsive.  We want your patients to receive the best care and get back to living life. 

Trauma staff provide education and support to reduce trauma risk through programs such as:

• Trauma Nurses Talk Tough, straight talk to children about bicycle and road safety and to teens about driving responsibility.
• Tread To Safety, a fall prevention program presenting simple steps that can be taken to reduce or prevent the risk of falls among seniors.
• Stop the Bleed, a course that gives participants the training to recognize life-threatening bleeding and intervene effectively.
• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), a medical training program, for the medical providers to teach a systematic, concise approach to the care of a trauma patient.

To schedule trauma staff for a talk to your group, call 360-514-1675.