Minnesota Statewide Trauma System

Injury is the leading cause of premature death. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that deaths due to injury cost Minnesota over $2.5 billion dollars each year. 

For a seriously injured person, the time between sustaining an injury and receiving definitive care can be an important predictor of survival. Survival diminishes with time, but a trauma system can improve survival through shortened transit times and better trauma care.

Minnesota's trauma system is a network of hospitals and ambulance services organized and coordinated to ensure that seriously injured people are transported to hospitals with the resources to treat their specific injuries. Promptly matching the patient's needs with hospital's capabilities is an important role of the trauma system.

Ambulance services recognize people with serious injuries and transport them to an appropriate hospital. Hospitals voluntarily participate in the trauma system by attaining designation as a Level 1, 2, 3, or 4 Trauma Hospital. Level 1s have the greatest number of resources; Level 4s have the fewest. The designation level reflects the resource capabilities of the hospital. It is not a ranking of the quality of care provided.

Do you live close to a trauma hospital?

98% of Minnesotans live within 60 minutes of a trauma hospital. Download or view the list of MN Trauma Hospitals. 

Map of drive times to Minnesota's designated trauma hospitals