Emergency Admissions / Trauma Transfers
Emergency Admissions
The emergency department is available to evaluate and facilitate acute admissions. Call to notify the emergency department of your patient’s arrival and/or speak with a physician 24/7:
Pediatric Trauma Transfers
CHOC has the only pediatric-dedicated emergency department and trauma center in Orange County. With a full team of pediatric specialists and surgeons ready to handle every case, we have the expertise that only a children’s hospital can provide. We are here to be a resource for emergency departments and hospitals in Southern California. Please call us at any time, if we can be of assistance.
Reasons for Transfer to a Pediatric Trauma Center
- Any seriously ill or injured child who cannot be managed in the community hospital
- Trauma – any of the following:
- Multiple-system injury (two or more organ systems)
- Penetrating wounds to head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, groin, extremity above the knee or elbow
- Cardiac or major vessel injury
- Massive maxillofacial trauma
- Spinal injury with deficit
- Severe head injury:
- Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS) less than or equal to 12
- Deteriorating GCS regardless of score – Penetrating or open injury
- Depressed skull fracture – CSF leak – otorrhea or rhinorrhea
- Focal or lateralizing signs, i.e. posturing
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Abdominal injury, blunt, with tenderness
- Falls greater than 10 feet or 2-3 times the height of the child
- High-risk auto crash
- Auto versus pedestrian / bicyclist who is thrown any distance, run over or with significant (> 20 mph) impact
- Motorcycle crash including “laying bike down,” > 20 mph
- Single-system injury that cannot be managed by the community hospital