TY - JOUR
T1 - Access to trauma systems in Canada
AU - Hameed, Syed Morad
AU - Schuurman, Nadine
AU - Razek, Tarek
AU - Boone, Darrell
AU - Van Heest, Rardi
AU - Taulu, Tracey
AU - Lakha, Nasira
AU - Evans, David C.
AU - Brown, D. Ross
AU - Kirkpatrick, Andrew W.
AU - Stelfox, Henry T.
AU - Dyer, Dianne
AU - Van Wijngaarden-Stephens, Mary
AU - Logsetty, Sarvesh
AU - Nathens, Avery B.
AU - Charyk-Stewart, Tanya
AU - Rizoli, Sandro
AU - Tremblay, Lorraine N.
AU - Brenneman, Frederick
AU - Ahmed, Najma
AU - Galbraith, Elsie
AU - Parry, Neil
AU - Girotti, Murray J.
AU - Pagliarello, Guiseppe
AU - Tze, Nancy
AU - Khwaja, Kosar
AU - Yanchar, Natalie
AU - Tallon, John M.
AU - Trenholm, J. Andrew I.
AU - Tegart, Candance
AU - Amram, Ofer
AU - Berube, Myriam
AU - Hameed, Usmaan
AU - Simons, Richard K.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Background: Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity, potential years of life lost and health care expenditure in Canada and around the world. Trauma systems have been established across North America to provide comprehensive injury care and to lead injury control efforts. We sought to describe the current status of trauma systems in Canada and Canadians' access to acute, multidisciplinary trauma care. Methods: A national survey was used to identify the locations and capabilities of adult trauma centers across Canada and to identify the catchment populations they serve. Geographic information science methods were used to map the locations of Level I and Level II trauma centers and to define 1-hour road travel times around each trauma center. Data from the 2006 Canadian Census were used to estimate populations within and outside 1-hour access to definitive trauma care. Results: In Canada, 32 Level I and Level II trauma centers provide definitive trauma care and coordinate the efforts of their surrounding trauma systems. Most Canadians (77.5%) reside within 1-hour road travel catchments of Level I or Level II centers. However, marked geographic disparities in access persist. Of the 22.5% of Canadians who live more than an hour away from a Level I or Level II trauma centers, all are in rural and remote regions. DISCUSSION: Access to high quality acute trauma care is well established across parts of Canada but a clear urban/rural divide persists. Regional efforts to improve short- and long-term outcomes after severe trauma should focus on the optimization of access to pre-hospital care and acute trauma care in rural communities using locally relevant strategies or novel care delivery options.
AB - Background: Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity, potential years of life lost and health care expenditure in Canada and around the world. Trauma systems have been established across North America to provide comprehensive injury care and to lead injury control efforts. We sought to describe the current status of trauma systems in Canada and Canadians' access to acute, multidisciplinary trauma care. Methods: A national survey was used to identify the locations and capabilities of adult trauma centers across Canada and to identify the catchment populations they serve. Geographic information science methods were used to map the locations of Level I and Level II trauma centers and to define 1-hour road travel times around each trauma center. Data from the 2006 Canadian Census were used to estimate populations within and outside 1-hour access to definitive trauma care. Results: In Canada, 32 Level I and Level II trauma centers provide definitive trauma care and coordinate the efforts of their surrounding trauma systems. Most Canadians (77.5%) reside within 1-hour road travel catchments of Level I or Level II centers. However, marked geographic disparities in access persist. Of the 22.5% of Canadians who live more than an hour away from a Level I or Level II trauma centers, all are in rural and remote regions. DISCUSSION: Access to high quality acute trauma care is well established across parts of Canada but a clear urban/rural divide persists. Regional efforts to improve short- and long-term outcomes after severe trauma should focus on the optimization of access to pre-hospital care and acute trauma care in rural communities using locally relevant strategies or novel care delivery options.
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U2 - 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181e751f7
DO - 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181e751f7
M3 - Article
C2 - 20838258
AN - SCOPUS:78650805268
SN - 0022-5282
VL - 69
SP - 1350
EP - 1361
JO - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
JF - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
IS - 6
ER -