NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Re-Certified as a Level I Adult Trauma Center and a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Re-Certified as a Level I Adult Trauma Center and a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center

The hospital is the only Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Manhattan south of 68th Street

Apr 09, 2026

New York, NY - NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue announced today that the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has re-certified the hospital as a Level I Adult Trauma Center and as a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. Bellevue Hospital is the only Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Manhattan south of 68th Street. Level I trauma centers must be capable of providing comprehensive trauma care for all injuries, while Level II trauma centers are expected to provide initial definitive trauma care for a wide range of injuries and injury severity.

Bellevue Hospital has been a Level I Adult Trauma Center for decades, delivering state-of-the-art trauma care around the clock. In addition to providing acute trauma care, these centers have an important role in local trauma system development, regional disaster planning, increasing capacity, and advancing trauma care through research.

In order to meet ACS requirements for certification, an Adult Level I Trauma Center must admit at least 1,200 injured patients annually. In 2025, Bellevue Hospital's Emergency Department saw more than 100,000 adult patients with 1,986 adults admitted for trauma care.

Trauma is the leading cause of death between the ages of one and 14 years old nationwide, and results in temporary or permanent disability for millions of infants and children annually. Injured pediatric patients require specialized treatment and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue's Pediatric Trauma program includes a specially trained multidisciplinary healthcare team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and rehabilitation therapists. This team includes pediatric specialists in surgery, emergency care, anesthesiology, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, and otolaryngology. Services include a dedicated pediatric emergency room, pediatric intensive care unit, and pediatric transport.

A Pediatric Level II Trauma Center must admit 100 patients annually in order to meet ACS requirements for certification. Last year, Bellevue Hospital saw over 12,300 pediatric patients in the Emergency Department, with 163 trauma admissions.

"We are proud to receive these Trauma Center designations from the American College of Surgeons," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. "As an Emergency Medicine physician, I see firsthand the expert care that patients and their families receive when they arrive at Bellevue Hospital. Trauma patients and their loved ones can be assured that they are receiving the highest level of emergency care at the most critical moments. Our adult and pediatric teams are specially-trained and committed to providing lifesaving care to patients of all ages."

"Verification as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons represents the highest standard of trauma care in the United States," said Maggie Ewen, MS, PA-C, Trauma Program Director at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. "This remarkable achievement reflects Bellevue Hospital's steadfast dedication to improving care for injured patients. We are honored to continue to serve our community, and provide access to high quality trauma care to patients not only within our immediate neighborhood, but across all five boroughs, Long Island, and Westchester as well."

"Congratulations to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue on being recertified as the only Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Manhattan below 68th Street," said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. "Bellevue Hospital provides an incredibly vast array of critical services to New Yorkers. Every time I visit, I am impressed by the dedicated staff, who are so committed to providing first-rate care to patients with such acute needs."

"Bellevue Hospital's commitment to caring for every New Yorker, regardless of age, income, or immigration status, is something I'm proud to support and represent," said New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez. "As NYC works toward a more accessible, inclusive, and safe healthcare system, institutions like Bellevue and their trauma team show what that future can look like. This recertification is a reflection of their amazing work."

"I could not be prouder of the work and commitment from the health care workers and staff at Bellevue Hospital," said New York State Assembly Member Keith Powers. "Whether it is a simple procedure or the most complicated, New Yorkers can continue to count on Bellevue Hospital to routinely provide the highest quality of care."

"Bellevue Hospital has long been a cornerstone of New York City's public health system and a lifeline for New Yorkers across our city," said New York City Council Member Virginia Maloney. "Its recertification as both a Level I Adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center reflects the depth of expertise and coordination required to respond to emergencies at scale and underscores the extraordinary work of the doctors, nurses, and staff who provide lifesaving care every day. As the only trauma center in Manhattan south of 68th Street, Bellevue Hospital plays an essential role in ensuring that every New Yorker, regardless of age or circumstance, has access to the highest standard of care. For tens of thousands of New Yorkers each year, that care begins at Bellevue Hospital."

"It is critical that people of all ages in our communities can access lifesaving care when it matters most, especially in cases of trauma," said New York City Council Member Harvey Epstein. "As the first public hospital in NYC to earn this distinction, Bellevue Hospital's dual certification as a Level I Adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center ensures it can deliver top-tier, 24/7 care to tens of thousands of both children and adults across my district and beyond."

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America's oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children's Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.