About the Trauma Center

History

Parkland Health became the first certified Level I Trauma Center in the State of Texas in 1983. Patients requiring trauma care of all types are referred to Parkland.

Parkland has maintained its Level I Trauma Center status by completing site surveys by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. These surveys have continued to define a strong commitment to excellence in trauma care, education, research and injury prevention. The trauma center’s strengths continue to reflect strong and dedicated trauma surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, trauma nursing, trauma registry data management and the trauma performance improvement process.

What does Level I mean?

The designation as a Level I trauma facility, the highest level achievable, refers to the available resources at that hospital to care for trauma patients.

• We care for patients with 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons who are also trained in the specialties of trauma and critical care. We also have prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial, pediatric and critical care. In many cases, these services are already in the hospital when patients arrive.
• We act as a referral resource for communities in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.
• We lead in injury prevention and public education to Dallas and surrounding communities.
• We train using one of the most rigorous and comprehensive quality improvement programs in the country.
• We innovate through our teaching and research efforts to help direct new developments and ideas in trauma care.
• We provide intervention programs for substance abuse screening and rehabilitation referral.

Verification Status

The criteria for trauma center verification is outlined by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and documented in the Optimal Resources for the Injured Patient. Our status as a Level I trauma center is reviewed every three years by the American College of Surgeons.

In addition, Parkland is required to meet all Texas Department of State Health Services criteria for trauma center designation.

The Community We Serve

The Trauma Center at Parkland Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving Trauma Service Area E (TSA-E), known as the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council (NCTTRAC). This incorporates nineteen north central Texas rural, suburban and urban counties: Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Wise, Denton, Palo Pinto, Parker, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, Collin, Hunt, Rockwall, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Somervell, Tarrant and Dallas counties. According to recent Department of State Health Services population estimates indicate that 8.4 million people reside within the 15,574.71 square miles of TSA-E, representing roughly 27% of the entire population of the State of Texas.

Location

Parkland Memorial Hospital
5200 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75235
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