UCLA Medical Center's trauma center has achieved a significant distinction -- verification with commendation as a Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center by the American College of Surgeons' Trauma Verification Committee. This verification recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.

Under the direction of Dr. Henry Cryer, professor of surgery and chief of trauma, emergency surgery and surgical critical care in the department of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA Medical Center has been verified as a Level 1 adult trauma center for the last 12 years, and now has become a verified Level 1 pediatric trauma center, as well.

"The resources that UCLA Medical Center has committed to trauma care have made us an outstanding community resource, and having the American College of Surgeons Verification Committee commend our efforts is very gratifying," Cryer said.

A Level 1 trauma center is a comprehensive regional resource that is a tertiary care facility central to the trauma system. A Level 1 center is capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.

UCLA's Trauma Center provides medical care to nearly 1,000 patients per year. About 90 percent of UCLA's trauma cases involve blunt injury wounds resulting from falls, motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents and pedestrians hit by cars. About 10 percent of the trauma cases call for treating penetrating injury wounds, including knife and gunshot wounds. Additionally, UCLA is one of only six Level 1 trauma centers in Los Angeles County, which encompasses 13 trauma centers in total.

Key elements of a Level 1 trauma center include 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine and critical care. Other capabilities include cardiac care, pediatric care, microvascular surgery and hemodialysis. The Level 1 trauma center provides leadership in prevention, public education and continuing education of the trauma team members, and is committed to continued improvement through a comprehensive quality assessment program and an organized research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care.


Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the verification program promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the pre-hospital phase through the rehabilitation process for patients.

Each hospital undergoes an on-site review by a team of experienced trauma surgeons; verified trauma centers must meet essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance.

The trauma committee's verification program does not designate trauma centers. Rather, the program provides a confirmation that a trauma center has demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality trauma care for all injured patients. The actual establishment and the designation of trauma centers is the function of local, regional or state health care system agencies, such as the local emergency medical services authority.