The Cook County Department of Trauma and Burn Surgery is anchored by two high-acuity service lines: the trauma unit and the burn unit, delivering comprehensive care to both adult and pediatric populations. Established in 1966, the program is recognized as the first comprehensive trauma unit in the United States and continues to serve as a national model for trauma care.
The Cook County Trauma Unit at Cook County Health is America’s first center dedicated solely to the care of the acutely injured patient. Since its inception, it has provided a full continuum of care from initial resuscitation through operative management and recovery. Traumatologists with over 2 decades of experience leading the care of the injured patients. Patients are managed by a consistent, specialized team of physicians and nurses from arrival through discharge, ensuring continuity and quality across the entire care pathway.
More than 7,000 trauma and burn patients are treated annually, with approximately 400 admissions to the burn unit each year. Cook County Trauma Unit cares for the highest complexity of penetrating trauma in the nation. The trauma service manages a significantly higher volume of penetrating injuries than national averages, positioning it as a high-exposure clinical and training environment. The burn unit treats a wide spectrum of conditions including thermal, chemical, and electrical injuries, as well as complex pathologies such as toxic epidermal necrolysis and severe soft tissue infections.
The department is staffed by 11 full-time attending trauma and burn surgeons, supported by six clinical trauma fellows, four additional United States Navy surgeons, and two clinical burn fellows. A highly trained nursing workforce and multidisciplinary clinical staff support patient care, quality assurance, and process improvement initiatives.
Education remains a core operational priority. As the only academic freestanding trauma department in the nation, the Cook County Trauma Unit delivers an immersive, high-volume, and high-acuity experience for physicians, and allied health professionals. Training is rooted in real-time exposure to complex resuscitations, penetrating and blunt trauma, and advanced surgical intervention, all within a diverse and underserved patient population.
The burn unit operates with dedicated ICU, step-down, and inpatient capacity, managing both adult and pediatric patients across the full spectrum of burn care, from initial resuscitation to reconstruction.
Overall, the Cook County Trauma Unit remains one of the busiest and most influential trauma programs in the country, defined by its legacy, scale, and commitment to advancing trauma care.
Please visit this website for more information on Cook County Trauma/Burn.
For more details please contact:
Rona Ragbeer
Rona.ragbeer@cookcountyhhs.org
(312) 864-2751