What is a trauma center?
A trauma center is a hospital with a special team to treat patients with traumatic injury.
What is a traumatic injury?
A traumatic injury is a blunt or penetrating injury that requires immediate medical treatment for the patient to survive. Usually, these injuries are the result of car accidents, pedestrian accidents or falls.
If my child experiences a trauma, what should I do?
Please call 911 immediately if your child needs immediate medical attention and safe transport to the hospital. First responders will take your child to the nearest trauma center, which may be CHOC.
What is required to be a Level I pediatric trauma center, like CHOC?
CHOC is a referral source for communities throughout the region. We provide total care for every aspect of injury – from prevention through rehabilitation. As the only Level I trauma center in Orange County, CHOC goes above and beyond to meet the requirements by offering the following:
- 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial, pediatric and critical care
- Providing leadership in injury prevention, public education to surrounding communities
- State-of-the-art operating rooms for performing immediate or emergency surgery using the latest and safest procedures.
- Continuing education of the trauma team members, while operating an organized teaching and research effort to help direct new innovations in trauma care
- Support services for patients and their families dealing with a traumatic situation, including psychology services, child life services, social services and our Pediatric Advanced Care Team.
- Additional services in the hospital including a blood bank, radiology and rehabilitation services.
Our pediatric trauma center is designated by the American College of Surgeons and Orange County Emergency Medical Services.
