ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION Access to Trauma Centers in the United States

THE SYSTEMS APPROACH TO THE delivery of trauma care is widely accepted as an effective strategy for reducing death due to injury. A critical component of this systems approach is the designation or verification of trauma center hospitals equipped to treat more severely injured patients. Although the overall number of trauma centers has increased over the last decade, recent studies have shown that their geographic distribution varies widely across states. These studies suggest that in many areas of the country residents are without timely access to trauma centers that could save their lives. In other areas, there may be too many trauma centers, possibly leading to inefficiencies, lower patient volumes per center, and reduced quality of care. We used 2 new national databases to assess the US trauma system safetynet—where it is absent and where it is well developed. We also assessed the role of helicopters and the sharing of trauma care resources across states.