Two local trauma centers serve Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, and all of Stanislaus County. Both are located in Modesto. Patients with major injuries can be taken to the Level II Trauma Centers at Doctors Medical Center and Memorial Medical Center.
There’s more information below on what kind of patients need Trauma Center care and where other local Trauma Centers are located.
Where Is the Closest Trauma Center in Stanislaus County?
Stanislaus is lucky to have two trauma centers. Both are located in Modesto. At times, badly injured patients being treated at Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock will be transported to Modesto Trauma Centers for further care.
These are generally two options available for Stanislaus County accident victims with traumatic injuries:
Doctors Medical Center (DMC)
Level II Trauma Center
1441 Florida Avenue
Modesto, CA 95350
https://www.dmc-modesto.com/services/emergency-room
Memorial Medical Center (MMC)
Level II Trauma Center
1700 Coffee Road
Modesto, CA 95355
https://www.sutterhealth.org/mmc/services/emergency/trauma-centers
Trauma Centers Outside Stanislaus County
In some cases, it’s best for a patient with traumatic injuries to be flown to a Level I Trauma Center for more specialized care. One of the closest Level I facilities would be Fresno’s Table Mountain Rancheria Trauma Center at Community Regional Medical Center. It’s the only Level I facility in the Central Valley.
Patients may also be transported to the Level I Trauma Center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose or the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
What Are Trauma Centers?
Trauma centers are usually part of emergency departments in hospitals. They offer medical care that goes beyond what an emergency room can provide. They are designed to provide immediate care for the victims of traumatic injury.
Traumatic injuries can be caused by blunt force trauma, like an impact in a car crash. They result from a penetrating wound like a shooting or stabbing. Traumatic injuries also include burns. Trauma centers often have protocols set up to quickly help the victims of stroke and heart attacks. Some departments target the needs of children who have been badly hurt. These are known as pediatric trauma centers.
Trauma Center staff including doctors and nurses are on call at all hours in case someone is brought in with a traumatic injury. Patients will have access to general surgeons as well as orthopedic surgeons, heart surgeons, and other specialists.
Levels of Trauma Centers in California
Trauma Centers are usually designated in one of four categories based on the level of care they provide. In California, these centers are certified by a Local EMS agency after meeting strict standards for emergency care.
Like most states, California uses a level system to designate the type of trauma care available at each center. They are rated on a scale of I to IV, with I being the highest designation. These are defined by the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA).
- Level I and level II trauma centers are equipped and staffed to offer the highest level of medical care. They have similar medical professionals and resources with the greatest difference being that level I’s are research and teaching facilities. Some trauma centers have helipads so that patients can be moved quickly if they require care at another facility.
- Level III and level IV trauma centers generally provide initial stabilization of trauma patients. Some patients are transferred from Level III and IV to Level I & II when needed. Level III facilities generally have more advanced surgical capabilities than Level IV facilities.
- Pediatric trauma centers focus specifically on care for infants, children, and adolescents. The Level I pediatric centers require some additional pediatric specialties, research, and teaching responsibilities.
