University of Utah Trauma Service

Trauma is an injury caused by a physical force, and is considered a surgical disease. Most often it is a consequence of motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, gun shots, fire, stabbings, or blunt assault . Trauma kills more people between the ages of 1 and 44 than any other disease or illness. Nearly 100,000 people of all ages in the United States die from trauma each year. Half of them in automobile crashes.

Trauma care is a team effort! Our eight Surgeons are Board Certified in Surgery and Critical Care, and are members of the American Associate of Surgery for Trauma. Our team also includes four Midlevel Providers (NP's and PA's), a Trauma Program Manager, a Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator, and Trauma Registrars. We are all committed to providing our individual expertise to ensure the best possible care for those who are severely injured.

As an American College of Surgeons (ACS) verified Level I Trauma Center, and one of the top 5 Academic Hospitals in the US in Quality, we have an entire team to help injured patients get back to the things they love. Our specialty services include Specialized Burn Care, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery and On-Site Physical Medicine (Rehabilitation).

University Hospital's excellent Nursing Services, dedicated Social Workers (Crisis Counseling), and our Physical, Occupational and Speech (Cognitive and swallow) Therapists care for patients while they are in the hospital.

Finally, our Nurse Case Managers and their assistants are ready to help families and patients plan the transition beyond hospital care.