Trauma Centers and Access to Health Care

Poor, uninsured hit hardest by closing of trauma centers nationwide, By Ellen Kleinerman, October 5, 2011, Cleveland Plain Dealer: “The shuttering of trauma centers across the country since 2001 has had a greater impact on communities with black, Hispanic, elderly, uninsured and poor people, according to a study released Wednesday. Researcher Dr. Renee Yuen-Jan Hsia said the closings — mostly in urban areas — were due to the high cost of trauma care, rising numbers of uninsured patients and cuts in Medicare payments…”
Study finds nearest trauma center is now farther away for 1 in 4 Americans, Associated Press, October 5, 2011, Washington Post: “One hour can spell the difference between life and death for victims of severe injury, but about a quarter of Americans now have to travel farther to reach the nearest hospital trauma center, a study published Wednesday concludes. The reason: Hundreds of trauma centers have closed over the past two decades. Sixty-nine million people had to travel farther to reach a trauma center in 2007 than in 2001, according a study in the journal Health Affairs…”