Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas launched a new burn program this August.

The program treats burns covering 30 percent or less of the body’s surface area and follows the American Burn Association guidelines, according to a news release from Seton Healthcare Family. Doctors at the hospital can care for burns to specific areas of the body—including face, hands, feet and joints—for anyone age 15 or older.

Dr. Ben Coopwood, head of the burn initiative, said in the news release that Seton added an extensive surgical intensive care unit and a growing plastic surgery program to support burn patients.

“We are really excited to share this program with the community,” Coopwood said. “We felt like we could responsibly expand our burn services now that our medical offerings have matured throughout the last five to 10 years.”

Seton officials stated they felt it was important to establish burn care at the new hospital because of injuries such as thermal burns and large blistering burns that require medical attention, according to the news release. The American Burn Association reports 73 percent of burns happen at home, so Seton said it's important when to know to go to the hospital.

Before the burn program launched, patients would have to be transferred to San Antonio or Dallas for treatment, the news release said. Patients with burn surface areas greater than 30 percent will still need to travel to San Antonio or Dallas for care. Large or complex burns, however, can now receive initial wound care from Dell Seton’s trauma surgeons.