If Arkansas gets a statewide system of trauma centers, the hospitals offering the top level of care are likely to be concentrated in the capital city, according to state Department of Health Director Paul Halverson.

Trauma centers are classified as Level 1, 2 or 3, with Level 1 centers offering the highest level of care. Halverson told a legislative panel today the hospitals in the state that could attain Level 1 status relatively quickly are Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Baptist Health Medical Center, all located in Little Rock.

That means hospitals in neighboring states would continue receiving some Arkansas trauma patients even under a fully developed statewide trauma system, Halverson said. It also highlights the need for Level 2 and 3 centers across the state, he said.

“We don’t have the time to take all these patients to Central Arkansas,” he said.