The Big Picture
For 25 years, University of Utah Health’s Level I Trauma Center has been ready for the moments no one sees coming. As Utah’s first trauma center verified by the American College of Surgeons, it has grown into a regional referral center for critically injured patients across Utah and the Mountain West.
That legacy became deeply personal for Thomas F. Higgins, MD, professor and chief of orthopaedic trauma surgery. After decades of caring for injured patients, he suddenly became one himself—and experienced firsthand the lifesaving system he helped build.
What’s Happening
University of Utah Health is celebrating 25 years of Level I trauma care, recognizing the teams, innovation and collaboration behind its around-the-clock readiness. The designation represents the highest level of trauma readiness, with specialized surgeons, critical care teams, advanced technology and supporting services available 24 hours a day.
The center now treats approximately 2,500 to 2,800 trauma patients each year. Over its 25-year history, it has also trained and certified nearly 4,000 physicians and 900 nurses in advanced trauma care, extending its impact well beyond the hospital.
For Higgins, that expertise became a lifeline after a backcountry skiing accident. While skiing with his wife near Cardiff Pass, he fell more than 100 feet onto rock and ice. His rescue and treatment brought together emergency air transport personnel and hospital teams in a coordinated effort to save his life.
“The trauma system saved my life,” Higgins said.
Why It Matters
Trauma care begins with readiness. When a serious injury happens, immediate access to experienced specialists and coordinated care can make a lifesaving difference.
“Nobody plans the day in which their life has changed forever because of an accident,” said Toby M. Enniss, MD, trauma medical director at University of Utah Health. “But in that moment, we’re given the trust to take a life, to take a loved one in their most vulnerable moment, and to come together to perform at a high level of care.”
For Higgins, receiving that care from his own colleagues gave the center’s mission new meaning. His story puts a human face on the work trauma teams do every day—and on the trust patients and families place in them.
The Bottom Line
University of Utah Health’s 25-year milestone is about more than a designation. It reflects decades of preparation, teamwork and a commitment to being there when patients need help most.
As Dan Lundergan, system chief operating officer of University of Utah Health and chief executive officer of University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics, put it: “They’re looking for help and they’re looking for hope. And we give that to them.”