Neuroscience Institute

West Penn Allegheny Health System houses the first unit in the state specifically designed for trauma/critical care and has provided advanced trauma care to the region for more than 25 years. The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation has consistently designated us as a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center with capabilities in patient care, research and education. A neurosurgeon is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to patients' needs.

Our Shock Trauma Center is the largest in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia for brain and spinal cord injuries and a leading institution for national studies, evaluating various drugs for the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries. Additionally, neurosurgeons at our hospitals have led the way in establishing guidelines for pre-hospital and acute management of severe head injury as well as the critical care of spinal cord injury.

A 24-bed trauma/surgical intensive care unit promotes increased efficiency for the care of the critically injured or ill patient while also focusing on making families comfortable. Each year, nearly 3,000 patients receive care in this unit.

The hospital's trauma services also include LifeFlight, the first aeromedical emergency transportation system in the northeastern United States. LifeFlight is based at Allegheny General Hospital and in four outlying communities and maintains five helicopters on 24-hour service plus a specialized fixed-wing aircraft. This service has completed more than 50,000 flights.