Researchers studied 44 emergency medical services agencies transporting to 28 hospitals in two rural and five urban counties in Oregon and Washington. A sample of 67,047 injured people (1,971 rural and 65,076 urban) enrolled in the study. Rural was defined as being at least 60 minutes away from the nearest Level I or II trauma center, or if they lived in a zip code designated as rural by CMS.
Of that patient pool, 53,487 were transported to a hospital. Just 29.4 percent of rural patients who needed early critical resources were initially transported to a major trauma center, while 88.7 percent of urban patients were. After transport, 39.8 percent of rural patients were treated in a major trauma center.
Overall mortality did not differ between the regions, but 89.6 percent of rural deaths happened within 24 hours, versus 64 percent of urban patient deaths. This suggests quicker transfers or faster emergency response times could mean improved outcomes for rural patients.
Craig Newgard, MD, the study’s lead author, told Reuters, “Early activation of 911 for injured patients and advocating for transfer to a major trauma center when serious injuries are present may help improve outcomes and reduce disparities in care.”
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