HOUSTON (May 20, 2025) — The Texas Department of State Health Services has re-verified Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital as a Comprehensive Level I Trauma Facility, marking its more than 30 years of elite status among adult trauma centers in the U.S. Over the years, the hospital has built a reputation for providing expertise, innovation and life-saving trauma care to Harris County residents.
“Traumatic events can impact anyone at any time, no matter your background, socioeconomic status, where you live or any other factors," says Glorimar Medina, MD, CEO, Hospital Campuses, Harris Health. “In trauma, every second matters. We are always here and open when you need us most."
As one of only two adult Level I trauma centers in Harris County, Ben Taub Hospital plays a crucial role in the region's emergency medical response system.
“Being a Level I trauma center means we offer the most comprehensive and advanced level of care for trauma patients 365 days a year," says Stephen Mora, trauma program director, Ben Taub Hospital. “We have the capabilities of performing innovative types of life saving measures when seconds count."
In addition to clinical excellence, Ben Taub Hospital is dedicated to advancing trauma care through research and education. The hospital is a hub for training future health care professionals, offering hands-on experience in trauma care through its medical partnership with Baylor College of Medicine.
Each year, Harris Health through its trauma teams at Ben Taub Hospital and Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (Level III trauma center) hosts its annual Circle of Survival Trauma Conference. The one-day multidisciplinary event on May 21, 2025, provides healthcare professionals from across the region the latest insights into trauma care from pre-hospital and emergency care to critical care and rehabilitation.
Additionally, Harris Health educates the community about the consequences of trauma when it hosts its annual Trauma Survivor Celebration, an event to honor notable patients treated for trauma who have overcome life-threatening injuries. The event is May 30, 2025, and is also a time to celebrate the resilience of survivors and their families.
The celebration is a powerful reminder that trauma doesn't just affect the individual, but ripples through families and communities. Reconnecting with survivors and sharing a meal together brings both healing and a renewed passion to the healthcare teams who contributed to their recovery, says Future Johns, trauma program director, LBJ Hospital.
Ben Taub Hospital first received its trauma designation in 1994 and was among the first in the country to receive such designations from the American College of Surgeons. The college verifies hospitals every three years based on the highest national standards for trauma care. The state then issues the verified designation.