What is Trauma?
Trauma is a surgical disease demanding surgical leadership.
Who is a trauma patient?
The Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 4765.01 defines a trauma patients as someone with a significant risk of loss of life, limb, significant permanent disfigurement or disability caused by blunt or penetrating injury.
What is a trauma system?
A trauma system is a geographically organized system of care for the injured that is fully integrated into the emergency medical service (EMS) system and strives to meet the needs of all injured patients requiring an acute care facility, regardless of severity of injury, geographic location, or population density.
What is a Trauma Center?
A Trauma Center is a healthcare facility that has established an organized operational structure that facilitates and improves care of the injured patient.
What does the Ohio Trauma law do?
The Ohio Trauma law establishes rules to identify trauma patients and selects appropriate transport destinations. It establishes transfer rules between trauma centers and non-trauma hospitals. It makes Ohio an inclusive system wherein any trauma center verified by the American College of Surgeons is a legal trauma transport destination. The law went into effect on November 3, 2002.
Who decides which hospitals are Trauma Centers?
The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) sets the standards for verification and site visits. Any hospital interested and willing to invest the time, effort, staffing and money is eligible.
What level is the trauma center at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital?
Level 1 Pediatric facility
What do the different levels of trauma centers mean?
  • A Level 1 trauma center should be a regional resource center and generally serves large cities or population-dense areas. The institution usually serves as the lead hospital for the system and is expected to manage large numbers of severely injured patients.
  • A Level 2 trauma center provides comprehensive trauma care to assist the Level 1 trauma center in a population-dense area but is usually found in a less population-dense area. They may not be able to provide the same comprehensive care as a Level 1 center. A transfer agreement with a Level 1 center is necessary for patients whose needs exceed their resources.
  • A Level 3 trauma center will be able to initially manage injured patients and have transfer agreements with Level 1 or 2 trauma centers for patients whose needs exceed their resources.
  • A Level 4 trauma center is located in a rural area and provides initial evaluations and assessments. Most patients will require transfers to a higher level trauma center.