For more than 25 years, when a crash, fall, or other catastrophic injury has pushed a patient to the edge of survival, teams at University of Utah Health have been ready.
This year, U of U Health marks a quarter-century as Utah’s first nationally verified Level I Trauma Center—and 25 years of transforming care for the most critically injured patients across Utah and the Mountain West.
That legacy began in March 2001, when University of Utah Hospital became the first hospital in the state to achieve verification by the American College of Surgeons as an adult Level I Trauma Center. The designation affirms that patients receive the full spectrum of trauma care—from emergency response and complex surgery to intensive care, rehabilitation, and long-term recovery—within one coordinated academic health system. The Level I Trauma Center designation also indicates an organizational commitment to leading research, education, and development of the regional trauma systems within the region it serves.
“It is in the care of the critically injured that a health care system has the opportunity to shine its brightest,” said Toby M. Enniss, MD, trauma medical director at University of Utah Health. “Level I care is more than a designation. It is a promise that the right specialists, resources, and systems are ready at any hour—and that we will keep seeking to improve through lessons we learn from our own outcomes.”
Nine acute care surgeons—each fellowship-trained and board-certified in both general surgery and surgical critical care—lead a multidisciplinary team available around the clock. The system coordinates the expertise of emergency medicine, general and trauma surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, anesthesiology, burn surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, interventional radiology, vascular surgery, urology, ophthalmology, and other specialties tailored to the individual patient’s needs and injuries.
“It’s a sacred privilege to be part of a system that brings so many specialists into collaborative coordination,” Enniss said. “We are honored to care for patients, families, and communities in moments when lives hang in the balance.”
The center also has immediate access to blood products through ARUP Laboratories, air medical transport through AirMed, and specialized inpatient rehabilitation at the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The strength of this trauma program comes from the extraordinary people who are prepared to respond at any hour and the organization-wide commitment that supports their work,” said Dan Lundergan, system chief operating officer of University of Utah Health and chief executive officer of University of Utah Health Hospitals & Clinics. “For 25 years, we have continued to invest in the expertise, technology, facilities, and partnerships needed to provide lifesaving care for patients across Utah and the Mountain West.”
A Program Built to Keep Improving
The program began preparing for national verification in 2000 under early trauma leaders Richard Barton, MD, and Stephen Morris, MD. The original team included seven trauma surgeons, one advanced practice provider, and a two-person trauma program and registry staff. Over 25 years, it has grown to nine acute care surgeons, 10 advanced practice providers, and a 12-member trauma program team supporting quality, data, outreach and operations.
U of U Health also helped shape Utah’s broader trauma system. Dr. Barton chaired the state trauma group that advocated for a coordinated statewide trauma system, which over time lowered Utah’s mortality rate by 2%. Utah now has more than 38 designated trauma centers, creating clearer standards and stronger connections among emergency medical services, rural hospitals, and referral centers.
As an academic Level I Trauma Center, U of U Health pairs clinical care with research, education, and prevention. Faculty participate in national studies, develop evidence-based guidelines, and train physicians, nurses, pharmacists, residents, and students. Today, the Level I Trauma Center at University of Utah Health is regarded as a national leader based on our trauma care outcomes, and many of its practitioners are considered regional, national, and even international leaders in trauma care.
The center serves as a regional referral hub for Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, as well as portions of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Care Beyond the Hospital
Recovery from a serious injury can continue long after discharge. Through its partnership with the American Trauma Society’s Trauma Survivors Network, U of U Health offers in-hospital visits, peer support, and recovery resources for patients and families. The program also hosts an annual Trauma Survivors Day at Red Butte Garden, reconnecting survivors and loved ones with the teams who cared for them.
The center’s follow-up clinic coordinates ongoing care for patients with complex, multi-specialty injuries, while rehabilitation teams help patients rebuild strength, independence, and confidence. Together, those services reflect the program’s guiding principle: survival is the beginning of recovery, not the end.
The program also brings trauma education into communities through initiatives such as Stop the Bleed, Yellow Dot Safety for aging drivers, and fall prevention.
As U of U Health looks to the next 25 years, the trauma program remains committed to advancing care at every stage—from preventing injuries and responding in the critical first moments to helping survivors rebuild their lives. That commitment ensures patients and families across Utah and the Mountain West will continue to have the highest level of trauma care within reach when they need it most.