"A Dangerous Gap in Trauma Care"

From the Wall Street Journal

Trauma from injuries including accidents, falls and violence is the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 44, claiming more than 140,000 lives and permanently disabling 80,000 people annually. But only one in four lives in an area served by a coordinated system to transfer patients to designated trauma centers from less-equipped hospitals, according to the American College of Surgeons, which sets standards for trauma care. And only eight state trauma systems met nationally recommended preparedness levels in a study by the federal government after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. While some progress has been made, many states remain woefully unprepared, trauma experts say.