Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, Minnesota, has been recognized as a Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) Hospital, joining an elite group of facilities committed to excellence in rural emergency care. This designation reflects the hospital’s commitment to upholding high standards in staff training, utilizing state-of-the-art technology, and adhering to CALS principles.  

CALS is an educational program designed to prepare medical personnel in rural settings to anticipate, recognize, and treat life-threatening emergencies. Developed in Minnesota in 1996, CALS training emphasizes a team-based, systematic approach to emergency situations and is now taught in multiple states across the U.S. The curriculum encompasses a broad range of critical areas, including airway management, cardiac care, endocrine emergencies, environmental emergencies, infections, metabolic disorders, neonatal care, neurological conditions, obstetrics, pediatrics, respiratory issues, toxicology, and trauma. The program is recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Emergency Physicians as a provider of rural emergency medicine life support education.   

The CALS Hospital Recognition Program, inaugurated in 2007, acknowledges hospitals that meet stringent criteria for staff training, equipment procurement, and commitment to CALS principles. To qualify, a hospital must demonstrate that its staff have completed the CALS Provider course and Trauma Module, possess the recommended equipment, and show a commitment to the CALS approach. Riverwood Health team members have been attending CALS Courses for nearly 25 years, since 2001. Since then, 278 personnel have been certified in CALS by attending the course either here in Aitkin or at courses at other sites. This is a remarkable achievement and highlights Aitkin Health’s dedication to providing high-quality emergency medical care to its community in Aitkin and surrounding areas.  

This recognition places Riverwood Healthcare Center among other esteemed institutions that have earned the CALS Hospital designation, underscoring its role in enhancing the network of care in rural America. The hospital’s commitment to continuous training and excellence in emergency care ensures that residents in and around Aitkin receive timely and effective medical attention during critical situations.