UNM Hospital Opens Largest Level 1 Trauma Center in New Mexico

The University of New Mexico Hospital has officially opened its new Critical Care Tower, marking a significant expansion of healthcare facilities in the state. The $600 to $700 million, 570,000-square-foot tower includes 192 beds with 96 intensive care units, an expanded adult emergency department, 18 new operating rooms, and a second helipad, aimed at improving capacity and services at New Mexico's only level I trauma center. This expansion is expected to help alleviate overcrowding, address the state's healthcare workforce shortage by training more doctors and nurses, and reduce the need for out-of-state patient transfers. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and UNM leadership emphasized the tower's role in enhancing rural healthcare delivery and its importance as an investment in New Mexico's future. The facility also includes dedicated spaces for medical education and is already staffed with over 1,000 team members. Patient transitions to the new tower began on October 5, signaling a new era of critical care for the region.