Trauma Services

University Hospital is Home to the Region’s Only Adult Level One Trauma Center.

No one plans to have a traumatic accident – a car wreck, falling from a ladder, a workplace mishap – but they are the leading cause of death of persons aged 1 through 44. Trauma is defined as a severe injury that creates the risk of death or significant injury. The Trauma Center at University Hospital is the only adult Level One Trauma Center in the Tri-State region and is verified by the American College of Surgeons. The Level One accreditation is the highest distinction a hospital can earn for its trauma center.

What is a Level One Trauma Center?

A Level One Trauma Center provides the highest quality of care for critically-ill patients suffering from traumatic injuries. Its staff includes physicians, residents, nurses, social workers and case managers who are specifically trained to handle life-threatening, complex medical cases. Trauma surgeons and other trauma team members are in the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are many specialty units within the Trauma Center, including University Hospital’s Surgical Intensive Care Unit, the Burn Special Care Unit and the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit.

Types of Trauma

  • Falls
  • Car accidents
  • Burns
  • Ingesting or being exposed to poisons or toxic chemicals
  • Injuries sustained from knife or gunshot wounds
  • Workplace or farm mishaps
  • Domestic violence

According to the CDC, research shows that receiving care at a Level One Trauma Center within one hour of injury can decrease the risk of death by 25 percent.

Air Care and Mobile Care

University Hospital Air Care and Mobile Care has been the region’s most comprehensive air and ground medical transport program for over 25 years.  Our team completes 1,200 flight transports and 7,200 mobile transports every year.  We are the only program in the region whose flights include an experienced critical care transport team of emergency physicians and nurses, as well as blood and other clinical supplies, so patients can begin receiving immediate, specialized care at the scene or referring hospital.

While most transport programs bring the patient to the Level One Trauma Center; Air Care & Mobile Care brings University Hospital’s Level One Trauma Center – and its Heart Center and Stroke Center – to the patient. The program provides air transport, including dedicated helicopter ambulance services, plus three levels of ground transport (Mobile Intensive Care, Advanced Life Support or Basic Life Support).  We are also the only service in the region to be accredited in all four levels of medical transport by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) – the highest standard in measuring medical transport services.  Safety is our primary core value at Air Care & Mobile Care.  Since 1984, we’ve completed more than 28,000 consecutive patient care flight missions without a single accident.

Learn more at aircareandmobilecare.com.



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