The American Burn Association (ABA) and the American College of Surgeons have reverified the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Eskenazi Health as a recognized adult regional burn center. This is the eighth time the burn center has been reverified and applauds the team’s dedication to providing the highest level of care for burn patients.

“At Eskenazi Health we see the entire spectrum of burn injuries and our compassionate, expertly-trained burn team is well-prepared to care for these vulnerable patients,” said Lisa Harris, M.D., CEO of Eskenazi Health. “Besides having the ability to treat the most seriously burned patients, our multidisciplinary team of surgeons, nurses, therapists, pharmacists and others across our health system also work to prevent these injuries through community education activities and programs specifically aimed at reducing burn injuries.”

The Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center, under the medical direction of Leigh Spera, M.D., is among the leading burn centers in the United States, combining intensive patient-centered care with the most advanced medical techniques and equipment available. It is located on the fourth floor of the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and is the only verified adult burn center in the state. In addition to providing quality burn care, the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center provides statewide burn prevention and education and a full range of plastic surgery services.

There were nearly 4,000 inpatient and outpatient visits and over 900 operative procedures performed at the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center in 2024. The state-of-the-art facility includes 15 private inpatient rooms, 13 clinic rooms, two operating rooms, a medical spa, a physical therapy gym, and laser therapy services to treat burn injuries.

“It brings me nothing but pride to not only provide the best service, but our uninterrupted status as the only verified adult burn center in the state, which demonstrates our continued pursuit of excellence,” said Dr. Spera. “Our unwavering dedication to our patients drives us to strive for excellence and our daily goal of providing the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

The verification process includes a rigorous review program designed to verify burn center resources that are required for the provision of optimal care to burn patients from the time of injury through rehabilitation. Elements of this voluntary program include an application; pre-review questionnaire; and an in-depth, on-site review by members of the ABA Verification Committee, as well as senior members of the ABA.

According to the ABA, burn center verification provides a true mark of distinction for a burn center. It is an indicator to government, third-party payers, patients and their families, and accreditation organizations that the center provides high-quality patient care and meets the demanding standards for organizational structure, personnel qualifications, facility resources and medical care services.