Ascension St. John doctors explain significance and impact of becoming NE Oklahoma's first Level 1 Trauma Center

For the first time in history, Tulsa is now home to a certified Level 1 Trauma Center. Ascension St. John Medical Center has officially earned the top-tier designation from the American College of Surgeons, marking a major milestone for healthcare in northeast Oklahoma.

>>> Ascension St. John announces Tulsa's only Level I Trauma Center

Ascension St. John earns top trauma designation in Tulsa

Ascension St. John has been a Level 2 Trauma Center since 2009, but this new Level 1 verification elevates its care capabilities to the highest standard recognized in the U.S.

“This is big news, and we’re happy to share that with not just Tulsa, but basically all of northeast Oklahoma,” said Trauma Director Dr. Michael Charles. “We’ve been the only verified Level 2 trauma center in Tulsa since 2009… but a couple of years ago, leadership said, ‘What do we need to take it to the next level?’”

According to Charles, the upgrade required hiring new staff, expanding infrastructure, and ensuring the facility could treat “any patient, any time, with any injury, any day of the week.”

What a Level 1 Trauma Center means for Oklahoma patients

The Level 1 designation means comprehensive care from the moment a trauma patient is in the field to their final rehabilitation.

“We can take care of these patients in our hospital, but we now have the infrastructure to move them to the rehab facility,” Charles explained. “So we can really take care of the patient from the beginning to the end.”

Krista Norrid, trauma program manager, emphasized how many people and departments were involved in the transition.

“It’s 2,500 people. I mean, it’s a whole hospital,” Norrid said. “We want to extend this care to patients, not only in Tulsa, but southern Kansas [and] western Arkansas.”

Specialty-trained staff now available 24/7

Dr. Charles noted that patients at Ascension St. John will now always be seen by a board-certified trauma surgeon and specialized staff.

“When they get to our hospital, you’re only seen by a trauma attending… and we’re adding two new [surgeons], so we’re going to have seven total,” Charles said. “Every one of our critical care nurses, ICU nurses, ER people are also specialty trained.”

Teaching the next generation of trauma professionals

Ascension St. John’s trauma center is also becoming a hub for research and medical education, a key requirement of Level 1 status.

“We’re very tightly aligned with [the] Oklahoma University School of Medicine,” Charles said. “Their residents rotate through us… so we’re actually teaching the next level of physicians.”

The hospital has also built out a dedicated research department, employing two PhD-level physician researchers and publishing findings in national medical and surgical journals.

Why this matters to Tulsa and beyond

For the average Oklahoman, this designation means better care, faster and closer to home.

“You’re going to get the best of the best care right here in the middle of Tulsa,” Norrid said. “You don’t have to be transferred out. We take care of you head to toe.”

With outreach now extending into southern Kansas and western Arkansas, the Level 1 certification positions Ascension St. John as a regional leader in emergency trauma care.

“This really allows us to care for critically injured patients; no one has to leave the town,” Charles said. “We can do everything here.”