Cape Fear Valley Appoints Dedicated Trauma Director

FAYETTEVILLE – Stephen Flaherty, M.D., has been appointed Cape Fear Valley Health System's first dedicated Trauma Medical Director.

Dr. Flaherty, a Norwell, Mass. native, has more than 22 years of medical experience in the military. He previously served as Chief of Trauma at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Surgery and Trauma Director at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

He has also served as Chief of Surgery at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg and Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He recently retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel.

Dr. Flaherty received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Mass. He completed his residency at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, Ga., and a fellowship in Trauma/ Surgical Critical Care at Boston University Medical Center in Boston, Mass.

He is certified by the American Board of Surgery with added qualifications in Surgical Critical Care.

At Cape Fear Valley, his new duties are focused on developing the hospital into a state-designated trauma center and providing trauma and surgical critical care services. A trauma center provides comprehensive medical care to patients suffering traumatic injuries.

Due to costs and specialty requirements, many areas do not have a local trauma center and must transport patients to hospitals away from their home. The nearest trauma centers to Fayetteville are currently in Raleigh and Wilmington.