A DECISION IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE NEXT WEEK IN NAMING MONTEREY COUNTY’S FIRST LEVEL-TWO TRAUMA CENTER. ON TUESDAY, A TEAM OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION, WILL EITHER RECOMMEND NATIVIDAD MEDICAL CENTER OR SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AFTER EVALUATING WHICH HOSPITAL WILL BEST PROVIDE URGENT CARE TO CRITICALLY INJURED TRAUMA PATIENTS. IF A DECISION IS MADE, THE DESIGNATED HOSPITAL WILL ENTER INTO A “MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING”. FOLLOWING THAT AGREEMENT, THE TRAUMA CENTER COULD BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY SUMMER 2014.
