Diffusion, implementation of acute care surgery across the US

Editor's Note

Acute care surgery (ie, an organized system of trauma, general surgery, and critical care) implementation has occurred unevenly across the US, with rural communities and regions the slowest, this study finds.

Of 1,690 hospitals surveyed, 272 had implemented acute care surgery by 2015−an increase from 34 in 2001 to 125 in 2010. However, rural regions still have limited access.

Hospitals in counties with greater than 75^th percentile in population have 5.4 times higher odds of implementing acute care surgery than hospitals in counties with less than 25^th percentile population. Communities with greater percentages of adults without a college degree also have more limited access.

Addressing gaps in acute care surgery implementation across communities will help ensure health equity for US patients having general surgery emergencies, the authors say.