CASPER, Wyo. (June 18, 2025) — As the first official day of summer approaches this week, Banner Wyoming Medical Center's trauma team is gearing up for what health care providers across the state refer to as "trauma season."
The significant increase in outdoor activities, recreational accidents and highway travel during summer months brings a predictable surge of trauma cases to the state's only Level II Trauma Center.
Under the leadership of Banner Health trauma surgeons Dr. Ben Kautza and Dr. Nathan Manley, the hospital provides comprehensive care that allows Wyoming residents to receive high-quality treatment without traveling far from home — a crucial service in one of America's most rural states.
Meet the Surgeons
Dr. Ben Kautza joined Banner Wyoming Medical Center in fall 2023 from Pittsburgh. Growing up in rural Wisconsin in a community of just 3,000 people, Wyoming feels more like home to him than the big city did.
"I came here because I really want to build up this trauma center, make it more robust, and make sure that people have an opportunity to stay closer to home," said Dr. Kautza, who serves as the medical director of the hospital’s trauma program and chairman of the Committee on Trauma for the State of Wyoming.
Dr. Nathan Manley, who arrived in summer 2024, is a Wyoming native from Cody. After completing his undergraduate studies in Laramie, he joined the Peace Corps, which sparked his interest in medicine. He earned a master's in public health before attending medical school and training in trauma in Memphis, Tenn. Prior to joining Banner Wyoming Medical Center, Dr. Manley served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Birmingham, Ala.
A Unique Trauma Center
Though technically designated as a Level II Trauma Center, both Dr. Kautza and Dr. Manley feel like the facility often functions like a Level I center due to Wyoming's unique geography and population distribution.
"The environment in Wyoming is so widespread and we really take care of everyone," explains Dr. Manley. "In a big city, you never take care of pediatric trauma because there's a pediatric center nearby. Here, we do."
The trauma team handles a diverse range of patients and conditions — from children to 90-year-olds, from simple surgeries to complex cases. The trauma team provides 24/7/365 care, thanks to the help from Wyoming Surgical Associates and Precision Surgical, whose surgeons help with call coverage. Drs. Kautza and Manley cover the majority, alongside their advanced practice providers.
Challenges and Capabilities
Wyoming's rural nature and unpredictable weather create unique challenges for trauma care, particularly regarding patient transportation.
"You'll have this bluebird sky day but it's too windy and the helicopter can't fly," said Dr. Kautza.
Despite these challenges, the trauma center boasts impressive capabilities. With dedicated emergency department and intensive care unit staff, operating rooms, complex orthopedic care, neurosurgery, urology, ENT, gastroenterology, physical therapy and rehabilitation services, and more, the hospital provides comprehensive care in one of the country’s most rural areas.
"We're a smaller hospital, but we've got capabilities that are darn near equal to a quaternary center," said Dr. Kautza.
Less than 3% of trauma patients need to be transferred out of the facility.
Building for the Future
Both surgeons emphasize their commitment to building the program and adding more partners. They're proud of their role as the referral center for the entire state.
The hospital leadership has made trauma care one of its pillars, recruiting dedicated surgeons who are committed to living in and serving the community. The program includes a comprehensive performance improvement team that reviews every trauma case to ensure optimal care.
Prevention is also a key focus, with initiatives including fall prevention for the elderly, the PARTY program preventing alcohol trauma in youth, providing bike helmets and life jackets to children, teaching Stop the Bleed classes and more.
"Ideally, we prevent people from ever, ever needing a trauma surgeon," said Dr. Kautza.
Finding Home in Wyoming
Both surgeons express satisfaction with their decision to practice in Casper. Dr. Manley describes it as "a big, little city" and a great community to raise a family.
"We're thriving here,” said Dr. Kautza. “My wife grew up with horses and we bought a horse before we bought a house." He appreciates being able to drive just 15 minutes to be in the mountains and in the middle of nowhere while still having access to larger cities within a few hours' drive.
Through their dedication and expertise, these surgeons ensure that Wyoming residents have access to high-quality trauma care close to home.
About Banner Wyoming Medical Center
Banner Wyoming Medical Center is part of Banner Health and is Wyoming's largest hospital with 249 beds on two campuses. It is one of Wyoming's most comprehensive hospitals and offers a range of inpatient and outpatients services including emergency services, Level II trauma care, heart care, women and infant services, neurological care and more. It is Casper's only full-service, non-profit hospital. Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/wymc.
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Dr. Nathan Manley (left) and Dr. Ben Kautza stand in Banner Wyoming Medical Center's lobby. As the hospital's dedicated trauma surgeons, they lead Wyoming's only Level II Trauma Center, which serves the entire state. Dr. Kautza joined in fall 2023 from Pittsburgh, while Wyoming native Dr. Manley arrived in summer 2024 after serving in the Air Force.
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