Level I Represents Most Comprehensive, Complex Care; 9,500+ Trauma Patients Served in 2024
When minutes matter and lives hang in the balance, families and hospitals alike turn to one definitive source for the most complex trauma cases: WMCHealth.
Recently, the Network’s Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, two of the nation’s leading trauma programs, completed their 2025 reverification for Level I adult and pediatric trauma center designations by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This is the highest trauma status awarded by the ACS, and it means Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital will continue to carry elite-level trauma care status.
Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital continue to be the only ACS-verified Level I trauma care programs in eastern New York State north of New York City, and west to Syracuse. Kartik Prabhakaran, MD, Westchester Medical Center’s Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, said ACS reverification is a testament to WMCHealth’s unmatched ability to provide lifesaving patient-centered trauma care.
“Our dynamic and tested trauma team handles the region’s most complex cases, including those that are beyond the scope and capabilities of many other hospitals in our area. Westchester Medical Center will continue to be an important lifeline for those who experience significant trauma and as a Level I center, we will continue to be an advocate for trauma safety and research.”
“Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital’s continued recognition as a Level I pediatric trauma center reflects our ability to deliver the highest level of care to the most seriously injured children,” said Dylan Stewart, MD, Section Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Medical Director of Pediatric Trauma. “With dedicated pediatric trauma bays, surgical suites, emergency and imaging departments, and a family-centered approach, our hospital is a comprehensive and advanced resource for pediatric trauma.”
Trauma Cases Handled Soars to Nearly 10,000
The Level I trauma care designations for Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital are especially meaningful as both hospitals continue to see significant numbers of trauma cases.
Westchester Medical Center provided care to 6,974 adult trauma patients in 2024, with 2,631 admissions. Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital cared for 2,527 injured children in 2024, including 410 admissions. Falls were the most common cause of injury for both adults and children
ACS Verification Indicator of Quality
In New York State, trauma centers are assessed and undergo an extensive review process every three years by the ACS to earn and keep a trauma service designation. The comprehensive criteria required for Level I trauma verification status includes care capabilities, reporting academic research, outreach, and injury prevention efforts. Reverification proves that WMCHealth continues to be at the forefront of patient-centered trauma care in the Hudson Valley, setting a regional standard of science and evidence-based care that effectively meets the needs of trauma patients.
WMCHealth Trauma Consortium
The WMCHealth Trauma Consortium consists of five trauma centers, conveniently found around the Hudson Valley. In addition to the Level I Trauma Centers at Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, WMCHealth’s MidHudson Regional Hospital is an ACS-verified Level II trauma center; HealthAlliance Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital are both Level III trauma centers.
In addition, WMCHealth’s robust transfer system provides immediate trauma expertise to injured patients, accepting transfers from hospitals in the immediate region and beyond, regardless of where injuries occur or where patients receive initial stabilization.