Acute Care

In an effort to expand access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) services throughout our region, STRAC has launched centralized dispatching of SANE nurses through MEDCOM. This initiative was made possible through a regional Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our member hospitals, and our contracted SANE provider, creating a coordinated system.

Hospitals and law enforcement can now contact MEDCOM 24/7 to request a certified SANE nurse. Upon receiving a request, MEDCOM immediately coordinates with the contracted provider to dispatch a nurse directly to the requesting facility. This new centralized system streamlines the process, ensuring that survivors receive expert care more quickly and efficiently.

Previously, many survivors faced delays or needed to be transferred to specific hospitals for a forensic exam. Now, adult patients can be seen at a variety of hospitals across the region, reducing the need for unnecessary transport and allowing survivors to receive care closer to home. This change significantly improves access, shortens wait times for examinations, and supports a trauma-informed response for survivors of sexual assault.

Please note that pediatric patients will continue to receive care at the CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital. However, with this new regional approach, adult survivors have more options and faster access to expert forensic nursing care when and where they need it most.