Trauma Program

Level I Trauma Center

The Level I Trauma Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center receives trauma patients from referring hospitals in the region, and provides a tertiary level of ICU care, delivering the highest level of multidisciplinary expertise for adult patients with all types and severity of traumatic injuries (except burns).

What is a Level I Trauma Center?

Emergency A Level I Trauma Center offers the highest level of trauma care available, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care regardless of the severity of their injury.

In recognition of its ability to provide the highest level of care to trauma patients and to serve as a regional trauma resource, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is verified by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and designated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Level 1 Trauma Center. To achieve verification as a Level I Trauma Center, an organization must meet or exceed a lengthy list of strict criteria established by the American College of Surgeons, and this status must be re-verified every three years. 

In addition to providing excellent, multidisciplinary care, the Division of Acute Care Surgery and Critical Care conducts research, participates in the training of medical students and general surgery residents, and offers an accredited Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care.

Our trauma surgeons treat injuries sustained from:

  • motor vehicle accidents
  • violence
  • falls
  • all other accidents

In addition to expertly trained trauma surgeons, our multidisciplinary team includes:

  • social workers
  • physiatrists
  • injury prevention staff
  • trauma nurses, trauma nurse practitioners, and advanced practitioners
  • occupational and physical therapists
  • chaplains

The Berenson Emergency Department

The Trauma Program is closely linked to BIDMC's Berenson Emergency Department, a state-of-the-art, 23,000 square-foot emergency facility that is not only one of the busiest emergency services in the Boston area, but also provides care for some of the most seriously ill and injured patients. Each year nearly 55,000 patients are treated in our Emergency Department.

Our Emergency Department is led by physicians who are board-certified in emergency medicine and staffed by experienced nurses. An acute care trauma surgeon is in the Emergency Department within minutes (always fewer than 15 minutes) of the arrival of patients with serious injuries or illnesses that might require surgery.

BIDMC has a rooftop helipad to receive patients via air ambulance, primarily Boston MedFlight. Boston MedFlight provides critical care transport to patients regardless of their ability to pay, and is supported by a consortium of Boston hospitals, including BIDMC, which is a founding member.

Outreach and Education

Our Trauma Program also conducts outreach and education programs in the community, to prevent injuries. In addition, we offer more formal educational programs.