Trauma IV Hospital

All of the Ascension Hospital facilities in which the student rotates through are level IV trauma centers. This means that we may treat the same wide variety of patients as a Level I hospital except once stabilized, they may be transferred to a Level I hospital for further treatment.

A Level IV Trauma Center has demonstrated an ability to provide advanced trauma life support (ATLS) prior to transfer of patients to a higher level trauma center.  It provides evaluation, stabilization, and diagnostic capabilities for injured patients.

Elements of Level IV Trauma Centers Include:

• Basic emergency department facilities to implement ATLS protocols and 24-hour laboratory coverage. Available trauma nurse(s) and physicians available upon patient arrival
• May provide surgery and critical-care services if available. 
• Has developed transfer agreements for patients requiring more comprehensive care at a Level I or Level II Trauma Center.
• Incorporates a comprehensive quality assessment program.
• Involved with prevention efforts and must have an active outreach program for its referring communities.

Level I

Level 1 facilities provide the highest level of care for patients. These facilities have a full range of specialists and equipment available 24 hours a day. These facilities also offer teaching and research components

Level II

Level 11 facilities provide the same services as the Level I facilities without the research component or a surgical residency program. Level II facilities may not have specialists on-hand 24/7, but they have them on call

Level III

Level III facilities do not have the full availability of specialists as Level I and Level II centers do, but they do have resources for emergency surgery and intensive care. In some cases, the facility might have to transfer patients.

Level IV

Level IV facilities provide initial evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic capabilities but will likely have to transfer the patient to a trauma center with a higher designation.

Hospitals

Non-trauma center emergency rooms can typically handle any case that comes in, stabilize the patient and transfer him or her to a trauma center if necessary.