The Level 1 trauma center in New Orleans is the Norman E. McSwain, Jr, MD, Spirit of Charity Trauma Center.
McSwain Jr. Trauma Center is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in southern Louisiana and serves the greater metropolitan area of New Orleans, including the surrounding eleven parishes.
The Trauma Center has five state-of-the-art bays, including one designed specifically for pediatric patients.
Level 1 trauma is the worst as level 1 trauma centers provide the highest level of trauma care to critically ill or critically injured patients.
The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 Trauma is level 1 Trauma Centers provide the highest level of trauma care to critically ill or injured patients.
Seriously injured patients have an increased survival rate of 25% in comparison to those not treated at a Level 1 center.
Level I and II Trauma Centers have similar personnel, services, and resource requirements with the greatest difference being that Level Is are research and teaching facilities.
Level I & II Pediatric: Level I and II Pediatric Trauma Centers focus specifically on pediatric trauma patients.
Tier I responds to injuries or conditions that are severe with high probability for the need for immediate surgical intervention.
Tier II injuries are less severe, but may require surgery within an hour.
Tier III injuries have a low probability of requiring surgery.
A Level II Trauma Center is able to initiate definitive care for all injured patients.
Elements of Level II Trauma Centers Include: 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.