Emergency Services
Memorial Hermann Emergency Centers stand ready to meet the needs of critically ill or injured patients throughout southeast Texas – adults and children. Memorial Hermann's close affiliation with The University of Texas Medical School at Houston enables its emergency teams to draw upon the expertise of specialists in many fields.
Some of the specialties offered include emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery, infectious diseases, nephrology, neurosurgery, transplantation, orthopedic surgery, neurology, cardiology and pediatrics.
Memorial Hermann has ten acute care facilities with 24-hour emergency services. The Level I Trauma status that Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center carries is the highest designation of an emergency care facility. Only two facilities in Houston carry this rating. Memorial Hermann Southeast, Memorial Hermann Southwest and Memorial Hermann Northwest are all Level III state-designated trauma facilities. In addition, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Northeast and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands are Level IV designated locations.
Having an integrated and comprehensive network of trauma centers allows Memorial Hermann staff throughout the city to work in unison, no matter the location or needs of a patient. At any Memorial Hermann Emergency Center, a patient benefits from the knowledge of a large network of physicians and nurses trained in emergency medicine as well as the years of experience Memorial Hermann has accumulated as Houston’s emergency care leader.
If the need arises, patients are seamlessly transferred to the appropriate facility by ambulance or by Memorial Hermann’s own Life Flight®.
Trauma Centers
Level I Trauma Center
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center’s Level I Trauma status carries the highest designation of an emergency care facility. Only two facilities in Houston carry this rating.
Level I trauma centers are required to not only offer comprehensive emergency care but also must have a research program, offer trauma and preventative health education and serve as referral sources for their community. At Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (TMC), a full range of specialists are available around the clock to take care of even the most complicated trauma cases.
Led by James McCarthy, M.D., and Red Duke, M.D., Memorial Hermann-TMCis the Houston area’s leader in emergency care research. Through the hospital’s relationship with The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, it conducts ongoing clinical trials to advance the field of emergency medicine. As required of all Level I trauma centers, Memorial Hermann-TMC offers a surgical residency program through the University of Texas.
Also, frequent continuing education seminars are offered at the campus for a variety of emergency services personnel. Additionally, the trauma center at Memorial Hermann-TMC is the home of Life Flight and the John S. Dunn Helistop, the busiest heliport in the United States for its size.
Level III Trauma Center
Memorial Hermann Southeast, Memorial Hermann Southwest and Memorial Hermann Northwest are all Level III state designated trauma facilities.
Level III trauma centers within the Memorial Hermann system have resources available for most trauma patients including resuscitation, surgery, and intensive care. Level III facilities are able to provide relief to the Level I facilities, delivering care within their capabilities and transferring patients to Memorial Hermann-TMC when patients need comprehensive trauma care. Level III facilities are required to have transfer agreements to handle situations when the appropriate critical staffs are not available.
Level IV Trauma Center
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, Memorial Hermann Katy, Memorial Hermann Northeast and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands are Level IV designated locations.
A Level IV trauma center provides initial evaluation, stabilization and transfer to a higher level of care. Our Level IV facilities also offer essential diagnostic capabilities and provide surgery and critical care services related to trauma care. When the patient arrives at the Emergency Center, a nurse trained in trauma care is immediately available to provide critical care with physicians available for consultation as well. If the situation demands, transfer agreements and protocols allow patients to be transferred quickly to a higher level of care within Memorial Hermann’s network of trauma centers.