CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Clinic announced plans Thursday to establish a Level I trauma center at its main campus in Cleveland.
The Clinic said it is pursuing accreditation for the Level 1 trauma center that would serve both adults and children. It would open in 2028.
MetroHealth swiftly responded, calling on the Clinic “to reevaluate its plans.”
“MetroHealth is alarmed for our community and calls on the Cleveland Clinic to reevaluate its plans,” the statement said. “Like similarly sized metropolitan areas, Greater Cleveland cannot sustain three Level I Trauma Centers. It will harm patient outcomes and increase costs for the entire community.”
Cleveland.com reached out to the Clinic for a response to MetroHealth’s statement.
Hospitals with Level I trauma centers are able to treat life- or limb-threatening injuries, including gunshot or stab wounds, serious falls, traumatic brain injuries, car crash injuries, industrial accidents and blunt force trauma. Such injuries are a leading cause of death for people aged 1 to 44, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Clinic’s trauma center would newly provide around-the-clock access to specialized surgeons, physicians, and critical care experts, the health system said. Level I trauma centers also conduct research, train healthcare providers, serve as teaching hospitals and provide public health education focused on injury prevention, the Clinic said.
Plans for the trauma center include a possible expansion of the Main Campus Emergency Department, hiring trauma specialists, and training current staff. The Clinic’s new neurological building, set to open in 2027, will enhance the trauma center’s ability to provide care, Clinic officials said.
“It’s important to reduce the risks associated with transferring critical patients outside the Clinic’s health system for treatment,” said Dr. Miguel Regueiro, chief of the Clinic’s digestive disease institute and a leader of the project.
The Clinic plans to collaborate with local government, community leaders, accreditation bodies, and internal departments on the creation of the new trauma center.
Existing trauma centers in Northeast Ohio
MetroHealth opened its Level 1 adult trauma center in 1992.
MetroHealth also offers a Level II pediatric trauma center. Both trauma are on its main campus on W. 25th Street.
UH operates Level 1 trauma centers for adults and children at its main campus at University Circle.
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital is Cleveland’s only Level I trauma center for children and adolescents.
UH also has Level III Trauma Centers at six satellite hospitals, including Elyria, Parma, Portage and Lake West. It operates a Level III trauma center at Southwest General Health Center.
Currently, the Clinic operates a Level I trauma center at Akron General Hospital and Level II trauma centers at Hillcrest, Fairview and Mercy hospitals for adults.
