University Hospitals opened a brand new Level 1 trauma center on Tuesday at the hospital's main campus in University Circle.
The move comes after months of controversy about plans for the center.
Until now, MetroHealth Medical Center was the only hospital providing trauma care to Cleveland residents.
Health officials from the Northern Ohio Trauma System, NOTS, said having two trauma centers would benefit residents in a negative way.
They said having trauma patients at two campuses would hinder the amount of trauma patients surgeons see each year.
However, UH officials said the addition is necessary to northeast Ohio in a press release earlier this year.
"This fills a critical need for a Level I on the east side of Cleveland and will decrease drive times for EMS crews. From age one to 44, trauma is the number one cause of death. Trauma is an extraordinarily time sensitive condition. When a patient suffers a traumatic injury, a critical factor in recovery is the time until definitive treatment," said Keith Clancy, MD, Director of Trauma Services at UH.
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