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MLHS Receives Level 4 Trauma Center Redesignation
June 12, 2025
Mille Lacs Health System is proud to announce its official redesignation as a Level 4 Trauma Center by the Minnesota Department of Health. This designation marks a significant milestone in enhancing emergency medical care for residents and visitors throughout the region.
As a Level 4 Trauma Center, Mille Lacs Health System is officially recognized for its ability to provide advanced trauma life support and stabilization to patients before transferring them to higher-level trauma centers when necessary. The designation reflects the hospital’s commitment to delivering high-quality, lifesaving care during the most critical moments. For trauma patients to have the best possible outcome, they must receive lifesaving care as early as possible. Mille Lacs Health System has consistently gone above and beyond what is required by the Minnesota Department of Health training requirements to ensure that our team is prepared to act rapidly and appropriately for our trauma victims.
This designation is vital to rural and underserved areas, where rapid access to trauma care can be the difference between life and death. With this designation, Mille Lacs Health System can:
- Provide immediate emergency assessment and resuscitation for trauma patients.
- Stabilize and prepare patients for transport to higher-level trauma centers when advanced surgical or intensive care is needed.
- Improve outcomes by ensuring faster, more coordinated trauma response.
- Collaborate closely with emergency medical services (EMS) and other regional trauma centers to streamline care and reduce delays.
"Receiving a Level 4 trauma designation underscores our team’s dedication to saving lives," said Andy Knutson, CEO of Mille Lacs Health System. "It means that residents of our service area can count on high-quality emergency care right here at home, 24/7."
As a Critical Access Hospital (CAH), Mille Lacs Health System plays a pivotal role in Minnesota’s integrated trauma system. CAHs are designed to improve access to healthcare in rural areas, and trauma designation enhances that mission by:
- Acting as the first point of care in emergencies.
- Ensuring that local healthcare providers are trained in trauma protocols and procedures.
- Reducing travel time for critically injured patients by initiating lifesaving interventions close to home.
- Serving as a reliable healthcare anchor in rural communities.
“Minnesota’s trauma system relies on all levels of care working together," said Andy Colberg, Trauma Program Manager at Mille Lacs Health System. "This designation ensures that our hospital is prepared to respond swiftly, effectively, and with the highest standards of care, helping save lives across our region."
To learn more about trauma designation and how Mille Lacs Health System fits into Minnesota’s statewide trauma system, visit https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/traumasystem.