Steward Health Care System, Boston, entered into an agreement to refer Level 1 trauma patients to two Partners HealthCare System hospitals: Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Partners, also based in Boston, will also assist Steward's Good Samaritan Medical Center, Morton Hospital and Holy Family Hospital to achieve designation as Level 3 trauma centers. “This will significant expand our ability to keep clinically appropriate care in our communities,” Dr. Michael Callum, president of the Steward Medical Group, said in an internal letter (PDF).

Partners has the capacity to accept referrals from Steward's emergency departments, spokesman Christopher Murphy said. About 1,000 Steward patients require Level 1 trauma care annually, he said. “We chose to work with Partners HealthCare because it has the necessary capacity and experience to deliver coordinated trauma care to our patients and to support the advancement of trauma services in the communities that Steward serves,” Callum said.

Steward doctors will communicate directly with Partners physicians and patient information will be electronically transmitted between the hospitals, Murphy said.

The agreement went into effect on Oct. 1.