Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital's distinction as a Level II Trauma Center assures our patients the highest levels of clinical quality throughout our entire health system. Responding to trauma emergencies throughout Santa Barbara County, as well as parts of Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Kern counties, our Trauma Center is the only comprehensive trauma center between LA and San Jose. We provide complete adult and pediatric trauma care.

Our center features: 

• 24-hour in-house coverage by senior surgical residents with immediate attending surgical back-up and supervision.
• Trauma specialists on call around the clock, including:
  
  • emergency physicians
  • trauma surgeons
  • neurosurgeons
  • orthopedic surgeons
  • trauma nurse specialists
  • radiology technicians
  • anesthesiologists
• Complete surgical and diagnostic facilities immediately available.
• Resources to provide quality burn care.
• Trauma case management including dedicated trauma nurse coordinators.

Evaluation and treatment are very aggressive during the initial hours of trauma care, eliminating delays. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital's partnership with AMR (American Medical Response), CALSTAR (California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue) and Mercy Air provides emergency medical transport to the Trauma Center. Because traumatic injury can affect more than just the body, psychiatric specialists, social workers, spiritual care services, discharge planners, and rehabilitation therapists also play an important role in recovery.

We are dedicated to injury prevention as well as quality trauma care. For each trauma patient admitted, our staff determines whether the injury was preventable, treats the patient for preventable factors, and educates the patient about how to remedy risks or avoid those factors.

Our Trauma Clinic, held every Wednesday, offers a free follow-up visit for patients recently under the care of the SBCH Trauma Services. We examine the patients' physical injuries and practice wound care. Other clinical concerns are addressed, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), rehabilitation and pain management.