Level I Trauma Center

Level I Trauma Center
Organisation
Care system	Public
Type	Specialist
Services
Emergency department	I

A Level I Trauma Center is a comprehensive regional resource that is a tertiary care facility central to the trauma system. A Level I Trauma Center is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury – from prevention through rehabilitation.

Elements of a Level I Trauma Center

Level I Trauma Centers are required to have a certain number of the following elements:

• 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric surgery, critical care and obstetrics and gynecology.
• They must be referral centers where other hospitals send their patients for specialized care.
• A Level I center has a comprehensive quality assessment program.
• It must have an organized teaching and research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care.
• Program for substance abuse screening and patient intervention.
• Meets minimum requirement for annual volume of severely injured patients.

Services Provided

Level I Trauma Centers offer a wide range of services, including:

• Emergency medical services
• Surgical intensive care
• Radiology services
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Trauma surgery
• Pediatric trauma care
• Neurosurgery

Certification and Oversight

In the United States, the verification of trauma centers is done by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). However, the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional, or state health care systems agencies, such as the state department of health, and can vary widely by state.

Challenges and Considerations

Operating a Level I Trauma Center involves several challenges including high costs, the need for highly specialized staff, and the constant readiness for any type of traumatic injury. Funding for trauma centers often comes from a combination of state and federal funds, as well as private insurance.

Importance

The presence of Level I Trauma Centers has been shown to reduce mortality rates in severely injured patients by providing comprehensive and immediate care. They also play a crucial role in disaster response due to their ability to scale up operations in response to large-scale emergencies.

See Also

• Trauma team
• Emergency medical services
• Trauma surgery
• Pediatric trauma