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Pediatric Trauma Center

Only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in Cleveland

UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s is able to handle any accident or injury at a moment’s notice. Our Pediatric Trauma Center provides the highest quality trauma care for critically ill or injured babies and children in Cleveland.


Emergency Referral Services

Providers can arrange for transfer by contacting the Transfer Referral Center 216-844-PEDS. Or call the Pediatric Emergency Department 216-844-1644.

What is a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center?

Trauma centers are hospitals with a commitment to caring for the injured every step of the way. While common bumps, bruises, scrapes and simple injuries may be managed at a local hospital, more complex injuries or conditions require expert diagnosis and care. The team at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Trauma Center is able to treat injuries such as lacerations, complex fractures, or severe injuries. These type of injuries require the experience and expertise of a trauma center.

The UH Rainbow Trauma Center is designated Level I, the highest designation possible, by meeting stringent standards of review by the American College of Surgeons inspection team. It is characterized by the center’s ability to provide total care for even the most complex injuries, with 24-hour availability of surgical specialists from all subspecialties to treat patients when seconds count.

Why Choose UH Rainbow?

At UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, our trauma team is ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Level I Pediatric Trauma Center incorporates the expertise of many different disciplines in order to provide the most comprehensive care possible for pediatric patients. Young trauma patients at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital benefit from immediate access to the full range of pediatric specialty and surgical services that only a dedicated, full-service children’s hospital and pediatric academic medical center can offer.

We provide the most advanced care possible, from the time we first see an injured child through treatment and recovery. We are committed to each patient and his or her family for as long as care is needed.

Highest Level of Trauma Care

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UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, distinguished as one of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, has been a continuously verified Level I pediatric trauma center for nearly three decades, and is the only designated Level I pediatric trauma center in Cleveland.

By Ohio law, only those hospitals inspected by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and found to meet stringent patient care criteria may call themselves trauma centers. UH Rainbow’s center is one of the oldest ACS verified pediatric trauma centers in the nation.

Access to Pediatric Surgical Specialists

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The pediatric trauma center is able to mobilize a UH Rainbow surgical and operating room team quickly when the need arises. UH Rainbow is home to 11 pediatric surgical specialties, including:

  • Pediatric anesthesia
  • Dental and oral surgery
  • General surgery
  • Trauma surgery
  • Cardiothoracic surgery
  • Orthopedic surgery
  • Ophthalmologic surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Plastic and maxillofacial surgery
  • Transplant surgery
  • Urologic surgery

Access to Pediatric Critical Care Units

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The staff at the pediatric trauma center highly collaborative with other divisions within UH Rainbow in order to provide the most comprehensive care for young trauma patients. If needed, pediatric trauma patients at UH Rainbow will be cared for in one of our superior critical care units, including the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)  and the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CTICU), depending on their need.

Multiple Trauma Centers for Adults and Children

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In addition to our Level I pediatric trauma center, UH can also provide the highest level of trauma care for adults with the Level 1 trauma center at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Both the adult and pediatric trauma centers are located in the same complex at our main Cleveland campus. We are the only medical center in the region with level 1 trauma care designation for both children and adults.

We also provide trauma care at the regional level. Altogether, UH has eight trauma centers across Northeast Ohio, with the ability to transfer pediatric and adult patients to our highest level trauma centers when necessary.

Critical Care Services

Our trauma team works with the experts in pediatric critical care to provide treatment for seriously injured or ill children in our state-of-the-art pediatric intensive care units. We offer a range of services for children recovering from trauma, surgery, or who are suffering from conditions such as infections, kidney failure and blood disorders.

Injury Prevention & Safety

The UH Rainbow Injury Prevention Center is dedicated to providing education and resources to help keep kids safe. This includes topics such as car seat and passenger safety, safe sleep guidelines, water safety and poison prevention.

Pediatric Surgery

The trauma center team works closely with UH Rainbow pediatric surgeons to treat babies, children and adolescents with traumatic injuries. Our highly skilled surgical team encompasses the full spectrum of pediatric surgical specialties.

UH Rainbow is a verified center of the ACS Children's Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program

UH Rainbow is recognized as a Level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), reserved for hospitals that meet the highest standards for quality care, safety, staffing, training, data collection and infrastructure. This quality indicator means that we are focused to prevent complications, hold down costs and improve patient outcomes.