11 Hospitals Gain or Renew Trauma Designations in 2026

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Hospitals in eight states have earned new trauma center designations or secured re-verification in the first weeks of 2026, expanding access to emergency care and reinforcing regional trauma networks. The designations, awarded by state health departments or the American College of Surgeons, reflect hospitals' ability to provide rapid stabilization, surgical intervention and coordinated transfers for severely injured patients.

Why it matters

Trauma center designations are important for ensuring communities have access to high-quality emergency and critical care services. The new and renewed trauma designations across multiple states help strengthen regional trauma systems and improve patient outcomes for the most severely injured.

The details

The 11 hospitals that received new trauma designations or re-verification since January 1, 2026 include Baptist Health Corbin (Ky.) as a level 4 trauma center, Madelia (Minn.) Health as a level 4 trauma hospital, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville as a reverified level 1 trauma center, T.J. Samson Community Hospital and T.J. Health Columbia (Ky.) as the first trauma-designated hospitals in south central Kentucky, University Medical Center New Orleans as the only hospital in the Gulf South to hold three national designations, Oaklawn in Marshall, Mich. as a reverified level 3 trauma facility, MelroseWakefield Hospital (Mass.) as a level 3 trauma center, UVA Health University Medical Center (Va.) as a redesignated level 1 adult trauma center, Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Calif. as a reverified level 2 trauma center, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (Conn.) as a verified level 3 trauma center, and Manning Family Children's in New Orleans as a verified level 1 pediatric trauma center.

• The new and renewed trauma designations were awarded in the first weeks of 2026.
• Baptist Health Corbin (Ky.) announced its level 4 trauma center designation on February 2, 2026.
• Madelia (Minn.) Health was designated a level 4 trauma hospital on February 16, 2026.
• Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville was reverified as a level 1 trauma center on February 4, 2026.
• T.J. Samson Community Hospital and T.J. Health Columbia (Ky.) earned level 4 trauma center designations on January 15, 2026.