What is the difference between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 hospitals?

Primary care is your regular physician.

Secondary care adds on capabilities like PT,OT, psych, etc.

Tertiary care is specialists like oncology, neonatalogy, cardiac surgery, and such.

Quaternery care is advanced beyond that such as experimental research.

Trauma is opposite...the smaller the number the more higher/more advanced trauma the facility can do.

That is why a teaching facility is often a Level 1 trauma tertiary facility.

The most simplistic answer to this question is this and regards the difference to the staffing of a facility.

Level I facilities are staffed 24 hrs a day by trauma surgery attendants in house (not general surgeons who will take on cases, but strictly trauma). This will typically be at academic facilities with Trauma/Surgical Critical Care. Additionally, ED's are supplied with in department radiology (CT, X-RAY, etc.) dedicated solely to emergency services.

Level II facilities may have the name 'trauma center' tied to them however they will not have 'trauma surgeons' on staff, but rather general surgeons who can take cases. These facilities are also not staffed in house but by surgeons on call. (e.g. they will be on campus during the day, but on call at night at home)

Level III...trauma cases will bypass or be flown out if they are true trauma.

I'm sure no one cares but all I hear when I am reading this thread is the overhead page..."Level 1 trauma alert...level 1 trauma alert." I guess I should go to bed.