Interview UCLA Takes Lead as Level 1 Trauma Center STORY HIGHLIGHTS UCLA has played an important role in helping Los Angeles County to fine-tune its trauma system to become increasingly efficient. UCLA’s trauma center has immediate access to computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and interventional-radiology techniques to quickly determine what is wrong with a patient. Trauma specialists are involved in new research focused on brain injuries and biologic responses to infection and shock. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is one of six Level 1 trauma centers in Los Angeles County and has received its eighth consecutive successful three-year review for excellence in both adult and pediatric trauma care from the American College of Surgeons’ Trauma Verification Committee. H. Gill Cryer, MD, chief of trauma surgery for the past 24 years, discusses UCLA’s expertise and leadership in providing care to patients with life-threatening injuries. Describe UCLA’s role in providing trauma care within the Los Angeles County system. Over the past decade, the Los Angeles County trauma system has become increasingly efficient in its ability to achieve the important goal of ensuring that every injured person in our county receives the right care, at the right place and at the right time. UCLA has been an important contributor to fine-tuning that process not only in our own catchment area but in the county system as a whole. In disaster situations and multi-casualty events, we have systems in place H. Gill Cryer, MD UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-800-UCLA-888 (1-800-825-2888) to direct the most critically injured patients to Level 1 centers by air, severe injuries to Level 1 and Level 2 centers by ground and air, and less severe injuries to local emergency departments by ground. In all situations, Level 1 trauma centers provide 24-hour access to general-trauma surgeons, emergency-room physicians and other highly specialized services such as orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, radiology and critical care. UCLA has been a part of the Los Angeles County trauma system since its inception in 1983. During that time, we’ve developed remarkable synergy among the many highly acclaimed specialties within our health system to benefit the more than 1,200 trauma patients who are admitted to our center each year. Many patients who come through our trauma center will be touched by 100-to-200 hands as they move from diagnosis and treatment to recovery and rehabilitation. We are capable of providing total care for every aspect of traumatic injuries because we have remarkable leadership and camaraderie within our team that makes it all work together.