Q: What is a Trauma Center?

A: A trauma center is a specialized hospital distinguished by the immediate availability of specialized personnel, equipment and services to treat the most severe and critical injuries

Q: Why is a Trauma Center important to our community?

A: Local trauma care is a vital community service that saves lives and eliminates the need to fly critically injured patients to a distant trauma center

Q: What is Trauma or a Traumatic Injury?

A: Traumatic injury is a life-altering event, affecting the patient, their family, and caregivers

A trauma patient is one with the most severe and critical injuries

Most injuries can be treated at a local emergency department, but in the case of traumatic injury, receiving treatment at a trauma center lowers risk of death by 25%

Q: What does the Trauma Center at Natividad provide?

A: A highly skilled trauma care team in-house 24/7, consisting of physicians, surgical specialists, nurses, technicians and support staff

Excellent access for patient transport with adjacent heliport

High-quality clinical services to support trauma care

A deep, historical, and ongoing commitment to high-quality comprehensive trauma care services to all residents of Monterey County

Compassionate and respectful care while maintaining patient dignity

Trauma prevention education through community outreach

The Facts
Each year, trauma accounts for 41 million emergency department visits and 2.3 million hospital admissions nationwide

Trauma is the leading cause of disability

Trauma is a disease. It is mostly preventable and associated with high-risk behavior.

Trauma is the leading cause of death in people 1- 45 years of age

• 45,000 – 50,000 deaths annually

The economic burden of trauma is approximately $406 billion a year, including both healthcare costs and lost productivity

Media Contact: Marci Bracco Cain (831) 747-7455