UP Health System – Portage Reverified as Level III Trauma Center Through June 2029

HANCOCK, Mich. (July 24, 2026) UP Health System – Portage has been reverified as a Level III Trauma Center by the State of Michigan and remains the only Level III Trauma Center in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The three-year verification is effective through June 6, 2029.

The State of Michigan Review Committee conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the hospital’s trauma program, including patient care processes, clinical outcomes, staff qualifications, resources and compliance with national trauma standards. Trauma center verification is awarded only to hospitals that demonstrate the ability to provide timely, coordinated, and effective care for injured patients.

“This reverification reflects the exceptional dedication and expertise of our physicians, nurses, emergency department staff, surgeons and support teams who work tirelessly to provide lifesaving care when every second counts,” said Ryan Heinonen, chief executive officer of UP Health System – Portage. “We take great pride in ensuring communities across the Upper Peninsula have access to advanced trauma care close to home.”

The Verification, Review and Consultation Program helps ensure trauma centers maintain the resources, performance improvement processes, and clinical capabilities necessary to care for injured patients throughout the continuum of care, from initial treatment through rehabilitation.

Level III Trauma Centers are equipped to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care, stabilization, and emergency operations for trauma patients. These facilities also play a critical role in coordinating care and facilitating transfers to higher-level trauma centers when specialized services are required.

“This reverification demonstrates our ongoing commitment to excellence in trauma care and reflects the hard work of our multidisciplinary team,” said Casey Baird, chief nursing officer at UP Health System – Portage. “As the only State of Michigan-verified Level III Trauma Center in the Upper Peninsula, we are proud to provide advanced lifesaving care close to home and serve as a critical resource for communities across the region.

The trauma program at UP Health System – Portage brings together specialists from emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesia, radiology, nursing, rehabilitation, and other disciplines to ensure comprehensive care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information about trauma services at UP Health System – Portage, visit uphealthSystem.com/portage.