Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center is inching closer to Nevada’s highest trauma designation after a district court ruling tipped in the hospital’s favor this week. The decision cracks open the door for a second Level I trauma center in the Las Vegas Valley, which hospital leaders say could finally take some pressure off the region’s lone current Level I provider. Sunrise officials say they expect the remaining administrative steps to move quickly in the coming weeks, although the Southern Nevada Health District still has the option to appeal.
Judge Sides With Sunrise In Trauma Center Showdown
Former Nevada Supreme Court Justice Michael A. Cherry, sitting as the district court judge, concluded that the Southern Nevada Health District’s denial of Sunrise’s bid “was not supported by reliable, probative and substantial evidence,” and ruled in Sunrise’s favor, as reported by FOX5. According to FOX5, the health district had rejected Sunrise’s application in January 2025 after determining the hospital had not proved there was a need for a second Level I center and raising concerns about the potential financial impact on University Medical Center. The court sent the issue back into the administrative process, clearing the procedural path for Sunrise to keep pursuing formal designation.
Sunrise Says It Has Been Operating At Level I For Years
Hospital leaders told KSNV that Sunrise has effectively been functioning at Level I standards since 2020, even though it has officially held a Level II designation since 2005. CEO Todd Sklamberg called the ruling a validation of Sunrise’s "unwavering commitment to delivering the highest level of trauma care" and said the formal upgrade would expand capacity, reduce transfers to University Medical Center and help recruit trauma surgeons and subspecialists. Sunrise told KSNV it expects the final administrative steps to wrap up in roughly two months.
What A Second Level I Could Mean For The Valley
The Southern Nevada Health District’s trauma-system page still lists University Medical Center as the Valley’s only Level I adult trauma center and Sunrise as a Level II facility, according to the district’s site. As the American College of Surgeons explains, Level I verification comes with extra expectations, including continuous specialist coverage and commitments to research, training and residency programs, which can translate into better outcomes for the most severely injured patients. Regional reporting and hospital leaders say a second Level I center would broaden capacity for mass-casualty events, reduce the number of critical transfers over to UMC and make it easier to attract subspecialists, as reported by FOX5.
Health District Weighs Appeal And Next Moves
The Southern Nevada Health District said it is reviewing the court’s decision and weighing its options, and the agency could still appeal the ruling, according to KSNV. If SNHD decides not to appeal, or if an appeal falls short, the court’s order would clear the administrative path toward formal Level I designation for Sunrise, a change that would ripple through hospitals, EMS operations and trauma planning across the Las Vegas Valley.
