Trauma & Specialty Referral Centers

Specialty referral centers within the Maryland EMS System

The State EMS Board is the entity responsible for the evaluation and regulation of all emergency medical services as well as the designation and verification of hospitals to be recognized as Specialty Referral Centers. Specialty Referral Centers can receive interfacility transports.

MIEMSS, with the approval of the EMS Board, designates and verifies hospitals as specialty referral centers by reviewing an application that is submitted to MIEMSS and then conducting an on-site review. We review each hospital’s compliance with specialty care standards and evaluate their appropriateness and capability to provide specialty care services according to the designation standards. MIEMSS will reverify each specialty referral center within 5 years.

COMAR Regulations for Trauma and Specialty Referral Centers

Elizabeth Wooster, PhD
Director, Trauma & Injury Specialty Care Program
443-467-7361 | ewooster@miemss.org

COMAR 30.08 – Designation of Trauma and Specialty Referral Centers
COMAR 30.08.05 – Trauma Center Designation Center designation and Verification Standards
COMAR 30.08.06 – Adult and Pediatric Burn Center Standards
COMAR 30.08.07 – Specialty Referral Center Designation Standards
COMAR 30.08.08 – Pediatric Trauma Center Standards
COMAR 30.08.09 – Eye Trauma Center Standards
COMAR 30.08.10 – Neurotrama Center Standard
COMAR 30.08.14– Hand and Upper Extremity Trauma Center Standards

Primary Adult Resource Center (PARC)

R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)

Adult Level I Trauma Centers

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Adult Level II Trauma Centers

Bayview Medical Center (JHM)
Capital Region Medical Center (UM)
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore (LifeBridge)
Suburban Hospital (JHM)

Adult Level III Trauma Centers

Meritus Medical Center
Peninsula Regional Medical Center (TidalHealth)
Western Maryland (UPMC)

Pediatric Level I Trauma Centers

The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Adult Burn Centers

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Pediatric Burn Centers

The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Eye Trauma Centers

The Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute

Hand and Upper Extremity Trauma Centers

Union Memorial Hospital (MedStar)

Center for Hyperbaric and Dive Medicine

R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)

Neurotrauma Centers

R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)

Out of State Trauma Centers

Children’s National Hospital
Christiana Hospital (ChristianaCare)
Washington Hospital Center (MedStar)

Out of State Burn Centers

Children’s National Hospital
Washington Hospital Center (MedStar)

Additional Resources

Maryland State Trauma Registry Data Dictionary for Adult Patients
Maryland State Trauma Registry Data Dictionary for Adult Patients - July 1, 2025
Maryland State Trauma Registry Data Dictionary for Pediatric Patients
Maryland State Trauma Registry Data Dictionary for Pediatric Patients - October 1, 2025
Interhospital Transfer Manual (Updated December 2021)

Trauma & Specialty Centers Designations

Hospital / Center	Designation	Most Recent Designation	Expiration Year
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)	Primary Adult Resource Center (PARC)	2023	2028
The Johns Hopkins Hospital	Level I Adult Trauma Center	2023	2028
Bayview Medical Center (JHM)	Level II Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Capital Region Medical Center (UM)	Level II Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore (LifeBridge)	Level II Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Suburban Hospital (JHM)	Level II Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Meritus Medical Center	Level III Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Peninsula Regional Medical Center (TidalHealth)	Level III Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
Western Maryland (UPMC)	Level III Adult Trauma Centers	2023	2028
The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center	Pediatric Level I Trauma Center	2025	2030
Bayview Medical Center (JHM)	Adult Burn Centers	2023	2026
The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center	Pediatric Burn Centers	2025	2030
The Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute	Eye Trauma Center	2021	2026
Union Memorial Hospital (MedStar)	Hand and Upper Extremity Trauma Center	2023	2028
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)	Center for Hyperbaric and Dive Medicine	2023	2028
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (UM)	Neurotrauma Center	2023	2028
Children’s National Hospital	Out of State Trauma Centers (MOU)	2024	2027
Christiana Hospital (ChristianaCare)	Out of State Trauma Centers (MOU)	2025	2028
Washington Hospital Center (MedStar)	Out of State Trauma Centers (MOU)	2025	2028
Children’s National Hospital	Out of State Burn Centers (MOU)	2023	2026
Washington Hospital Center (MedStar)	Out of State Burn Centers (MOU)	2025	2028

Trauma Center Categorization

Trauma Center Categorization
Differences in Standards Based on Physician Availablity and Dedicated Resources	PARC	Level I	Level II	Level III
Attending surgeon who is fellowship-trained and is in the hospital at all times	X
Dedicated facilities (Resuscitation Unit, Operating Room, and Intensive Care Unit) 24 hours	X
Facilities (Resuscitation Unit, Operating Room, and Intensive Care Unit) available at all times	X	X	X	X
Trauma Surgeon available in the hospital at all times		X	X
On-call Trauma Surgeon available within 30 minutes of call				X
Anesthesiologist in the hospital at all times and dedicated to trauma care	X
Anesthesiologist in the hospital at all times but shared with other services		X	X
On-call Anesthesiologist with CRNA who is in the hospital				X
Orthopedic Surgeon in the hospital at all times and dedicated to trauma care	X
Orthopedic Surgeon in the hospital at all times but shared with other services		X
On-call Orthopedic Surgeon available within 30 minutes of call			X	X
Neurosurgeon in the hospital at all times and dedicated to trauma care	X
Neurosurgeon in the hospital at all times but shared with other services		X
On-call Neurosurgeon available within 30 minutes of call			X	X
Fellowship-trained/board certified surgical director of the Intensive Care Unit	X	X
Physician with priveleges in critical care on duty and the Intensive Care Unit 24 hours a day	X	X	X
Comprehensive Trauma Research Program	X	X
Education - Fellowship Training in Trauma	X
Surgical Residency Program	X	X
Outreach Professional Education	X	X	X