Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth Partner to Create Regional Trauma Network

The MetroHealth System Board of Trustees has approved a contract to create a regional trauma network, in partnership with The Cleveland Clinic Health System, called the Northern Ohio Regional Trauma Network, according to a MetroHealth news release.

According to the release, the agreement is the first step in bringing together the community's Level I and II adult trauma centers in order to save lives, reduce disability and improve outcomes for trauma patients.

NORTN hospitals would share quality data and abide by clinical best practices shown to improve patient outcomes. Through the network, adult trauma patients will receive care at the hospital most appropriate for the severity of their injury, in order to ensure the greatest chance of survival and recovery, according to the release. MetroHealth's Level I trauma center would provide medical direction and coordinated transportation would be provided by Metro Life Flight.

"This collaboration will allow us to optimize the quality of care and outcomes for trauma patients across the region. Together, Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth are sharing best practices and designing a premier model for trauma care to benefit those in our communities," Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, MD, president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, said in the release.

NORTN's first medical director will be Jeffrey A. Claridge, MD, MetroHealth trauma surgeon and director of trauma research.

The MetroHealth and the Cleveland Clinic Health Systems will each contribute $300,000 to the initial budget of NORTN, and the Cleveland Clinic will donate $2.4 million over two years in a contribution to a local charitable foundation, earmarked for use by MetroHealth to address the community's challenge of uncompensated care and to support training and research in trauma care, according to the release.

Read the release about the Northern Ohio Regional Trauma Network.