Although nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population lives within 2 hours by ground or helicopter transport to a verified burn center, there is substantial state and regional variation in geographic access to these centers, according to a study in the October 28 issue of JAMA.
More than 500,000 burn injuries occur in the United States each year, causing approximately 4,000 burn-related deaths, according to the American Burn Association. In addition, more than 40,000 patients are admitted to hospitals each year for treatment of burn injury. The authors write that the delivery of optimal burn care to these patients is a resource-intensive endeavor requiring specialized equipment and experienced personnel, and that these resources are typically available only at dedicated burn centers. They add that timely access to a burn center may benefit patients. The current distribution of burn centers relative to geographic area and population is unknown, according to background information in the article.
Matthew B. Klein, M.D., M.S., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues conducted a study to estimate the proportion of the U.S. population living within 1 and 2 hours by ground or helicopter transport of a burn care facility, evaluating state, regional, and national access. The researchers compiled and analyzed information from the 2000 U.S. census, road and speed limit data, the Atlas and Database of Air Medical Services database, and the 2008 American Burn Association Directory.
The researchers found that in the U.S. in 2008, there were 128 self-reported burn centers, including 51 verified burn centers (verified by the American Burn Association, in which the quality of burn care provided at a center is assessed and confirmed). A total of 782 helipads and 804 helicopters served these centers. Nationally, about 25 percent of the U.S. population lived within 1 hour by ground transport of a verified center; 46.3 percent lived within 2 hours; and 67.7 percent lived within 4 hours by ground transport of a verified burn center.