The Cleveland Clinic on Thursday announced plans to open a Level 1 trauma center at the health system's main campus in Cleveland.
Level 1 trauma departments provide care for the highest level of critical injury, such as brain injuries, blunt force trauma and gunshot wounds. Cleveland already has two other such centers, operated by MetroHealth System and University Hospitals.
The American College of Surgeons will consult on recommendations for the site, which could include expanding Cleveland Clinic's main campus emergency department, hiring new trauma experts and training the hospital's current staff, the Clinic said in a news release.
The Clinic said it aims to open the new center in 2028.
Dr. Scott Steele, president of the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus Submarket, said the health care system identified a need for additional trauma care.
"We currently have the ability to care for a wide range of patient conditions; however, Level 1 pediatric and adult trauma care is a gap at our Main Campus. This would allow us to fulfill the full spectrum of our patients' needs," Steele said in Thursday's news release.
The MetroHealth System said in a statement that the Clinic’s new center would be unsustainable and would, quote, “harm patient outcomes and increase costs for the entire community."
It called on the Clinic to reconsider.
Ohio Trauma Registry records say 40% of statewide hospital patient records came from Level 1 trauma facilities, according to the most recent available report. Trauma is a leading cause of death for people under age 44, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cleveland Clinic's Akron General Hospital is also a Level 1 trauma center.
