Trauma Center

Immediate response to critical injuries

Traumatic injuries can threaten your health, your life and your long-term chances of recovery. It’s essential to have around-the-clock access to trauma experts with the skill and technology to treat critical injuries stemming from accidents or assault.

The Trauma Center at St. Vincent Healthcare is here to meet your needs when the unexpected happens. In a coordinated effort between law enforcement, emergency response, medical transport and trauma professionals, we mobilize experienced teams to manage your emergency and provide the highest level of personalized care.

Why Trauma Centers are important

Trauma Centers give you access to:

• Advanced tools for evaluating and treating traumatic injuries
• Doctors, nurses and other staff with special training in emergency medicine and complex trauma
• Surgeons available when you arrive
• Specialists available from a broad range of areas, such as orthopedics, neurosurgery, anesthesiology and critical care
• EMS coordinators, social workers, case managers and others focused on your arrival, care and well-being
• A continuum of services, including rehabilitation and wound healing, to support your recovery

Trauma center levels

A facility earns the title of “designated trauma center” when it meets requirements established by state or local government authorities. The American College of Surgeons verifies the designation of Trauma Centers as Level, I, II, III, IV or V. Levels depend on the types of resources available and the number of trauma cases handled each year.

The American Trauma Society provides a guide to the levels of Trauma Centers. In brief, services by level signify:

• Level l – The highest level of definitive and comprehensive care for patients with complex injuries
• Level ll - Definitive care for complex and severe trauma patients
• Level lll - Initial evaluation and stabilization (surgically if appropriate) to the trauma patient
• Levels IV and V - Initial evaluation, stabilization, diagnostic capabilities and transfer to a higher level of care

St. Vincent Healthcare has been designated a Level II trauma center since 1993, and according to the most recent State of Montana Trauma Registry data, for two years in a row, more patients trusted St. Vincent with their trauma care than any other trauma center in Montana. Additionally, because we can treat many trauma patients locally, their families don’t have to deal with the burden of being transferred to facilities outside the state.

We are fully committed to continuing our tradition of enhancing access to innovative and high-quality trauma care for the people of our region. That's why, in August of 2022, St. Vincent chose to become the first hospital in Montana to officially apply for Level I Trauma Center verification under the American College of Surgeons, with a goal of becoming the State of Montana's very first Comprehensive Trauma Center in early 2024.

Click on the blue box at the top of this page to get directions to the St. Vincent Healthcare Emergency Room.

Trauma prevention and preparation

You never know when you will suffer a traumatic injury or illness, so it’s important to have a plan ahead of time. Think about where you want to go to receive your care, and be sure to share that information with someone close to you.

As a Trauma Center, we’re actively committed to preventing trauma and preparing our community to respond seamlessly when critical injuries occur. This effort includes outreach strategies for injury prevention, continuing education for trauma team members and continuous improvement to our trauma services.