Trauma Center Levels

At the highest levels, Trauma Centers such as Harborview, have trauma surgeons available 24 hours a day including surgeons from many disciplines including neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons.  At the highest level, the Center has highly sophisticated medical diagnostic equipment and have a helipad for receiving patients from remote locations and distant hospitals.

Trauma Center Level designations are established by governmental entities. Some hospitals voluntarily participate in a process of the American College of Surgeons to have their services verified.

Level I trauma centers such as Harborview Medical Center in Seattle provide 24 hour care to injured persons as well as accommodate a high volume of patients. Level I Centers usually meet the following criteria:

• Provides 24-hour-a-day trauma care
• Provides specialists in many areas
• Provides sophisticated diagnostic equipment
• Provides a cadre of surgeons including neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, oral and maxillofacial surgeon
• Provides anesthesiologist
• Provides critical care unit for surgery recovery
• Provides radiology services
• Has Emergency Research program
• Leads other hospitals in trauma education and injury prevention
• Provides a resource for referrals
• Has a surgical residency program.

Level II Trauma Centers provide:

• Comprehensive trauma care
• 24 hour-a-day car with essential specialties
• Usually do not have research or surgical residency programs.

Level III hospitals provide the following:

• Emergency resuscitation
• Emergency surgery
• Intensive care
• Usually do not provide a full cadre of specialists and refer patients to other hospitals.