The Invisible Hand Guiding Trauma Center Designation: It Is Time for a Different Paradigm

It is well established that organized systems of trauma care improve mortality and reduce complications after injury. The distribution of trauma centers within a system, including the number, level, and location of these centers, is an essential determinant of efficient function. The necessity for thoughtful designation of trauma centers, based on the needs of the population served, has been a recognized fundamental of trauma system design since their beginnings in the 1970s. Yet, almost 50 years later, there is still no consensus about the process for such a needs analysis or metrics on which it should be based.

Source: Journal of the American College of Surgeons - January 13, 2021 Category: Surgery Authors: Robert J. Winchell Tags: Invited Commentary Source Type: research