Trauma Services

As the area’s only Level I Trauma Center, the Emergency and Trauma Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center provides trauma services for a 21-county region. Designated trauma care facilities are an integral aspect of care for patients with traumatic injuries. Prompt access to a Level I Trauma Center reduces the risk of death by 25 percent. Severely injured patients more than one hour from a trauma center are at an increased risk of death. A Level I Trauma Center is a comprehensive regional resource that is a tertiary care facility central to the trauma system and capable of providing total care for every aspect of injury – from prevention through rehabilitation.

Verified by the American College of Surgeons

Trauma Centers in Tennessee are designated by the Tennessee Department of Health and designation requirements are based on the American College of Surgeons standards. In 2015, the Trauma Services program at UT Medical Center voluntarily underwent an additional verification process by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. This verification process shows our commitment to continual improvement of the care we provide for injured patients.  The attainment of ACS verification confirms UT Medical Center Trauma Services provides care at the same level as a select few hospitals across the country.

Trauma Services for Critically Ill and Injured Patients

The trauma program at UT Medical Center saw more than 6500 acute trauma cases in 2018 with almost 70 percent requiring admission. The facility resources are key to the care of the acutely injured patient and are available around the clock, every day of the year. They include a four-bay trauma resuscitation area in the Emergency Department, a dedicated surgical suite for trauma, a 23-bed Trauma-Surgical Intensive Care unit, a 16-bed Neurocritical Care unit, a 30-bed Trauma Step-Down and a 30-bed Orthopedic Acute Care floor.

Multidisciplinary support with ancillary services is also dedicated to care of the trauma patient including pharmacy, case management, nutrition, pastoral care, and rehabilitation services.  The Trauma Survivors Network at UT Medical Center, established in 2016, provides an avenue for patients and family members to connect with one another and rebuild their lives after a traumatic injury.  Further support from UT LIFESTAR provides five helicopters based within the region to provide rapid access and definitive and life-saving care to the critically ill and injured patients.

Our services include:

Trauma Survivors Network

The Trauma Survivors Network helps trauma survivors and their families connect and rebuild their lives after a traumatic injury.

Trauma Outreach

• EMS Patient Follow-Up Request
• Trauma Courses for Healthcare Professionals
• 2020 Annual Trauma Report

Injury Prevention

• Stop the Bleed Courses – free to the public

Continuing Education Courses 

Join us for a series of quarterly continuing education seminars.

UT LIFESTAR and Emergency & Trauma Center Series

EMS Time Out Training

EMS report is an integral piece of patient hand-off to the trauma team.  This video provides a quick training overview for prehospital personnel.

Time Out: Report in 30 Seconds