Turlock accident victims with major injuries may first end up at the local Emanuel Medical Center. However, patients diagnosed with traumatic injuries may be flown to Level II Trauma Centers in Modesto or Level I Trauma Centers in the Bay Area or down in Fresno.
Information on the Closest Trauma Centers to Turlock
Turlock victims hurt in car accidents along Highway 99 or hurt at work would usually be rushed to Emanuel Medical Center on Delbon Avenue. Emanuel Medical Center has helped many victims recover, but they are not a designated Trauma Center. Turlock does not have a hospital that qualifies as a Trauma Center.
Trauma Centers in California are hospitals certified by medical authorities for high standards and life-saving care. They are meant to treat patients with major (traumatic) injuries. To do this, hospitals awarded a Trauma Center designation usually have specialized doctors, surgeons, and nurses ready to help victims at any hour. They will also have the most advanced equipment available to save the lives of victims facing traumatic injuries.
Stanislaus County is home to two Trauma Centers. They are both in Modesto and are both Level II Trauma Centers.
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
Some victims with injuries that are deemed traumatic will be driven or flown to Fresno’s Level I Trauma Center.
Table Mountain Rancheria Trauma Center at Community Regional Medical Center
Level I Trauma Center
2823 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
https://www.communitymedical.org/specialties-and-departments/trauma-center
Patients requiring specialized care might also be rushed to the Bay Area for treatment. They could end up at Level I Trauma Centers at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose or the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
What Is Considered a Traumatic Injury?
Traumatic injuries are usually physical trauma suffered by a victim that’s caused by forces outside the body. The force can be either blunt, like what’s usually experienced in a traffic impact, or penetrating, such as in a stabbing or an injury involving machinery. Severe burns are also considered traumatic injuries.
A traumatic injury usually requires immediate attention, sometimes surgery, to give the victim the best chance at survival. These major injuries can be caused by a fall, a car collision, an assault, a house fire, and other dangers.
What Can I Expect at a California Trauma Center?
Trauma Centers are usually an extension of a hospital’s emergency department. It’s a medical care unit found in a licensed hospital. California has laws that designate the levels of each trauma center and outline what is required to meet a certain level. Hospitals can be Level I (the highest) to Level IV, and there are also Pediatric Trauma Centers.
California’s 81 designated Trauma Centers receive and admit over 70,000 patients per year. Trauma certification is assigned by a Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA). Some hospitals are designated Trauma Centers by the American College of Surgeons (ACS)
At a minimum, Trauma Centers must offer a multidisciplinary trauma team and a basic emergency department. Some of the specially trained health care providers at trauma centers may include trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiac surgeons, and radiologists.
Trauma staff will also have access to the most advanced medical equipment and tools available.
Types of Trauma Centers in California
California authorities assign a level to Trauma Centers based on their staff and medical resources. These are defined by the California Emergency Medical Services (EMSA).
- Level I and Level II trauma centers are equipped and staffed to offer the highest level of medical care. The hospital will be home to a multidisciplinary trauma team ready to treat many different types of injuries. The two levels will have similar medical professionals and resources, with the greatest difference being that Level I’s are research and teaching facilities.
- 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. Pediatric centers can be designated either Level I or Level II facilities.
Contact a Turlock Traumatic Injury Attorney
If you or a family member suffers a serious or even life-threatening injury in an accident in Turlock, schedule a free consultation with a Turlock Personal Injury Lawyer.
If you decide Maison Law can help you and your family earn a bigger injury settlement check, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement you are awarded.
