MetroHealth is stepping back from a key role in Cleveland’s pediatric trauma network, announcing Wednesday, June 10, 2026, that it will not seek reverification from the American College of Surgeons for its Level II Pediatric Trauma Center at its Main Campus. The system says it will still treat children in its emergency departments, while stabilizing and then transferring the most seriously injured kids to the region’s top-tier pediatric trauma center.
What MetroHealth announced
In a press release via MetroHealth, the health system confirmed it will let its American College of Surgeons Level II Pediatric Trauma Center status at Main Campus expire instead of going through reverification. MetroHealth said its four emergency departments, at Main Campus, Brecksville, Cleveland Heights, and Parma, will keep caring for children who show up with emergency needs, then stabilize and transfer those who require definitive pediatric trauma care.
Verification and timing
According to the Ohio Department of Health, MetroHealth is still listed as an ACS-verified Level II pediatric trauma center through January 23, 2027. By choosing not to reverify, MetroHealth is effectively allowing that designation to lapse at the end of its current cycle. The same state list identifies UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital as the region’s Level I pediatric trauma center, which MetroHealth says will serve as the destination for the most severely injured children who need comprehensive pediatric trauma resources.
Why MetroHealth is changing its approach
MetroHealth CEO Christine Alexander‑Rager, MD, said the shift is about making sure “every patient gets the right care in the right place,” and warned that spreading complex pediatric trauma cases across too many low-volume centers weakens highly specialized teams. The system cited a long-running decline in pediatric trauma volume and a nationwide shortage of pediatric neurosurgeons as key reasons it sees a separate Level II pediatric trauma program as increasingly difficult to sustain. MetroHealth has framed the move as an effort to concentrate expertise and improve regional outcomes, rather than a retreat from caring for injured children.
Regional context
The decision lands in the middle of a broader regional fight over trauma capacity in Northeast Ohio. Earlier this year, Cleveland Clinic signaled plans to pursue a Level I trauma designation at its main campus, a proposal that MetroHealth and some lawmakers have openly questioned. Becker’s Hospital Review has reported on the dispute, while the Level I trauma center by 2028 coverage detailed the Clinic’s plans and the local pushback.
What families and EMS should know
MetroHealth’s release reminds the public that in any emergency, the first step is still to call 911. The system says its emergency departments will keep treating children for urgent and emergent needs, then stabilize and transfer those who require the specialized pediatric trauma capabilities housed at UH Rainbow. Parents and EMS agencies looking for official routing guidance can refer to the state’s trauma center list, maintained by the Ohio Department of Health, for the most up-to-date verified pediatric trauma designations.
What to watch next
MetroHealth’s change will take effect as its current verification period runs out, and the real-world impact will show up in where seriously injured children are ultimately sent and how quickly partner hospitals absorb additional pediatric trauma volume. In its statement, MetroHealth provided a media contact for follow-up questions and emphasized that it will continue using its resources to care for injured kids, while coordinating closely with regional partners on referrals and transfers.
