Cox Medical Center South earns Level I Trauma Center redesignation
- Submitted to Branson Globe
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
CoxHealth is proud to announce that the Emergency and Trauma Center at Cox Medical Center South has been redesignated as a Level I trauma center by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Arkansas Department of Health. The designation is valid for the next three years.
“This achievement is a testament to the countless hours of dedication and hard work put in by the members of our trauma program,” says Norrie Bradley, trauma program manager at CoxHealth. “Trauma care extends far beyond a single area of the hospital, and this redesignation is a clear recognition of the exceptional work being done by the trauma program and the vital support of ancillary departments at CoxHealth.”

The Emergency and Trauma Center at Cox South features a 62-bed emergency department – one of the largest in Missouri – and can care for more than 110,000 patients annually. The center’s advanced technology includes a high-speed CT scanner, which reduces the time needed to obtain high-quality diagnostic images. Other key features include an on-site laboratory, state-of-the-art disaster management facilities, and a dedicated area for patients requiring observation for 24 hours or less.
The Level I redesignation – the highest of three levels – follows a two-day, on-campus evaluation of CoxHealth’s trauma program. Areas assessed include quality improvement, injury prevention, research, trauma registry, education and outreach, ensuring that Cox South continues to meet the highest standards of trauma care.
As a Level I trauma center, Cox South maintains a trauma surgeon on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, physicians in more than 20 specialties on standby, three critical care units staffed with professionals such as social workers and physical therapists for our most complex patients, an established network of ambulances and a medical helicopter, comprehensive injury prevention programs to enhance community safety, and more.
“I am incredibly proud of our team and the leaders who support us,” says Norrie. “Their continued commitment ensures that CoxHealth remains a Level I trauma center and that we are able to serve even the most complex and severe trauma cases in northern Arkansas and southwest Missouri.”
CoxHealth treats thousands of trauma patients each year.
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