Geographic access to burn center hospitals

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Geographic Information Systems

Background:

• Burn care delivery is resource-intensive, requiring specialized personnel and equipment.
• The optimal geographic distribution of burn centers remains a critical, yet unknown, factor in patient outcomes.
• Understanding current access is essential for evaluating and improving burn care infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the proportion of the US population with access to burn care facilities within specific timeframes.
• To analyze accessibility based on both ground and rotary air transport (helicopter).
• To assess geographic distribution relative to population density and regional variations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of US burn centers using 2000 US census data.
• Incorporated road network, speed limit, and air medical service databases.
• Utilized the 2008 American Burn Association Directory for verified center data.

Main Results:

• In 2008, 128 burn centers were identified, with 51 verified by the American Burn Association.
• An estimated 46.3% of the US population can reach a verified burn center within 2 hours by ground transport.
• By air transport, 79.0% of the population can reach a verified center within 2 hours, with significant regional disparities noted.

Conclusions:

• A substantial majority of the US population has access to verified burn centers within a 2-hour transport time.
• Significant state and regional variations in geographic access to burn care facilities persist.
• Findings underscore the need for strategic planning to address access inequities in burn treatment.