Trauma

Let's face it: Few people want to think about trauma care. But isn't it nice to know that you'll have the convenient help you need if the unexpected happens? The Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center at MetroHealth Medical Center are ready to help when you need us most.

The Care You Need for Traumatic Injuries

There are medical emergencies, and then there are traumatic, life-threatening injuries. These are the conditions that can stick with you long after the event is over. These are the wounds that might need lifesaving care in the moment and long-term care as you recover. At MetroHealth, people of all ages are brought via ambulance, helicopter or car to our trauma center due to:

• Falls
• Car crashes
• Gunshot wounds
• Blunt trauma
• Stab wounds
• Head injury and traumatic brain injury
• Burns
• Additional complex injuries

These life-threatening injuries often require more care—more surgeons, more equipment, more nurses and more expertise—than a standard emergency room can provide.

Trauma Care by the Numbers

The MetroHealth Trauma Center is one of the busiest in the nation. Trauma really is our specialty.

• MetroHealth was one of the first verified trauma centers in the area. We were verified in 1992.
• Each year, we see about 6,000 trauma patients. That's more than 16 trauma patients a day, every day.
• The average severely injured trauma patient will see many experts at MetroHealth. During the course of care, it's between 50 and 100 specialists!
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says getting care at a Level I Trauma Center like ours can lower your risk of death from trauma by 25 percent.

Why choose a trauma center?

A trauma center is different than a regular ER. It's a portion of the hospital equipped and staffed to provide comprehensive care to patients with traumatic injuries. In a trauma center, surgical specialists are available around the clock, every day. And everything in that center is designed to meet the unique physical and emotional needs of people who have been through a traumatic event—and the needs of the people who love them. At MetroHealth, trauma patients are treated by professionals who specialize in trauma care.

We have trauma surgeons who are also critical-care physicians. And we've met strict requirements for quality, staffing and training from the American College of Surgeons.

The MetroHealth Medical Center is a Level I Adult Trauma Center. It's also a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. When you're dealing with trauma, you'll know you're getting care that meets national guidelines for quality and safety. It's one less thing to worry about as you recover.

The trauma center also works with:

• Orthopedic surgeons
• Neurosurgeons
• Plastic surgeons
• Ear, nose and throat (otolaryngology) specialists
• Thoracic surgeons
• Interventional radiology specialists

The team stands at the ready to provide comprehensive care to anyone who has a traumatic injury.

Trauma care isn't over in just a few intense minutes. Your treatment plan might last for months or years. It also involves specialists, rehab and emotional support. If traumatic injury affects your family, you'll receive the very best care at MetroHealth for the duration of your recovery. And we offer a Trauma Recovery Services program that can give you even more support, at no cost to you.

Getting the Trauma Help You Need

Most people who come to our trauma center get here through the emergency room. Our team assesses the situation, and if trauma care is required, the team works together to get you where you need to go. There's nothing special you need to do to access our trauma services. Just know that we're here when you need us.

And know that you should come to MetroHealth in an emergency. Other emergency departments might not be able to offer you the trauma support you need.

To find out more about the care we can offer in an emergency, visit our Emergency Department page. Or, to find out how to protect your health so a medical crisis is less likely to strike, make an appointment with a MetroHealth primary care provider.

Collaborating to Treat Traumatic Injuries

Patients of our trauma center benefit from our expertise. And so do patients at other facilities.

MetroHealth joined the Northern Ohio Trauma System (NOTS) in 2010. This is a collaboration with Cleveland Clinic and Southwest General Hospital. It ensures each patient gets appropriate care as quickly as possible.

This partnership saves lives. Since 2010, trauma deaths in Cuyahoga County dropped 39 percent. And in the city of Cleveland, trauma deaths are down 53 percent.