🚨 Regional Trauma Centers: The Last Hope for Severe Trauma Patients

Today Korean Social News | 2025.06.02

📌 Regional Differences in Trauma Death Rates…Lack of Specialist Doctors is the Main Cause

💬 In 2021, the national average rate of preventable trauma deaths was 13.9%. The Seoul metropolitan area had rates of 10-12%, but Gwangju, Jeolla, and Jeju regions had 21.1% - more than twice as high. The shortage of trauma surgeons is pointed out as the main cause, and there are urgent calls for increasing staff and support for regional trauma centers. Local trauma centers especially have difficulty securing specialists, requiring systematic government support.

Summary

• Regional trauma centers are special hospitals that treat severe trauma patients 24 hours a day.
• 17 centers operate nationwide, playing a key role in saving lives within the golden hour.
• Regional medical gaps causing differences in trauma death rates have become a social problem.

1️⃣ Definition

A regional trauma center is a special hospital that treats patients with life-threatening severe injuries from car accidents or falls 24 hours a day. Simply put, it's like the "last hope" hospital where seriously injured patients go when they are too critical to be treated in regular emergency rooms.

This is a national medical infrastructure established to provide specialized treatment for complex and serious trauma patients that regular emergency rooms cannot handle.

💡 Why is it important?

• Saves lives through proper treatment within the golden hour (1 hour).
• Reduces medical gaps between regions to achieve medical equality.
• Prevents avoidable deaths through specialized trauma treatment.
• Serves as a core part of the national emergency medical system.

2️⃣ Functions and Features of Regional Trauma Centers

📕 Main Functions and Roles

• Regional trauma centers perform various specialized functions. Main functions include:

  • Providing 24-hour emergency surgery and intensive care for severe trauma patients.
  • Comprehensive treatment of multiple trauma patients injured in several body parts.
  • Specialized handling of complex trauma cases that regular hospitals cannot treat.
  • Supporting patient transport via helicopter or ambulance and operating emergency medical situation rooms.
  • Building networks with regional emergency medical institutions to coordinate patient distribution and cooperation.

• They have specialized medical staff and facilities. Main features include:

  • Trauma surgeons are available 24 hours for immediate surgery.
  • Specialists from neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, orthopedics work together in a team approach.
  • Equipped with advanced diagnostic equipment like CT and MRI, plus operating rooms and intensive care units.
  • Blood banks and emergency blood supply systems to handle massive bleeding.
  • Connected with rehabilitation medicine for continuous treatment from acute care to recovery.

📕 Current Status of Regional Trauma Centers in Korea

• 17 regional trauma centers operate nationwide. Regional distribution includes:

  • Seoul metropolitan area: Ajou University Hospital, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Yonsei Severance Hospital, etc. (6 centers)
  • Yeongnam region: Pusan National University Hospital, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Changwon Gyeongsang National University Hospital, etc. (4 centers)
  • Honam region: Chonnam National University Hospital, Chosun University Hospital, Jeonbuk National University Hospital (3 centers)
  • Chungcheong region: Chungnam National University Hospital, Dankook University Hospital (2 centers)
  • Gangwon region: Kangwon National University Hospital (1 center)
  • Jeju region: Jeju National University Hospital (1 center)

• Both achievements and limitations are appearing. Main status includes:

  • National average trauma death rates have been steadily decreasing since regional trauma centers were established.
  • Survival rates for severe trauma patients improved significantly from 73% in 2010 to 84% in 2020.
  • However, large gaps still exist between regions, requiring additional improvements.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, trauma patient treatment continued without interruption, serving as a social safety net.

Main Challenges for Regional Trauma Centers

1. Staff shortage: Difficulty securing trauma surgeons and nursing staff
2. Regional gaps: Differences in medical staff distribution and treatment levels between metropolitan areas and rural regions
3. Financial burden: Hospital operating burden due to high-cost structure
4. Infrastructure shortage: Lack of supporting infrastructure like helicopter pads and transport systems
5. Lack of awareness: Low public awareness about regional trauma centers

3️⃣ Regional Trauma Death Rates and Medical Gaps

✅ Regional Trauma Death Rate Status

• Large differences in trauma death rates appear by region. Main status includes:

  • In 2021, the national average preventable trauma death rate was 13.9%.
  • The Seoul metropolitan area maintains 10-12%, below the national average.
  • Gyeongsang region shows 13-15%, similar to the national average.
  • Chungcheong region shows 15-17%, somewhat higher than the national average.
  • Gwangju, Jeolla, and Jeju regions show 21.1%, the highest death rate nationwide.

• Main causes of death rate gaps are being analyzed. Cause analysis includes:

  • Shortage of trauma surgeons is pointed out as the biggest factor.
  • Differences in transport time and accessibility to regional trauma centers affect outcomes.
  • Regional variations exist in emergency helicopter operations and nighttime transport systems.
  • Differences appear in cooperation systems and network building levels among regional hospitals.
  • Differences in medical staff experience, skill levels, and speed of adopting new treatments also have impact.

✅ Specialist Staff Shortage Problem

• Securing trauma surgeons is the biggest challenge. Staff shortage status includes:

  • About 200 trauma surgeons are estimated to be needed at regional trauma centers nationwide, but actually only 80-90 are available.
  • Local regional trauma centers have even more difficulty securing specialists, often with only 1-2 specialists on 24-hour standby.
  • Trauma surgery has high work intensity and risk burden, but relatively low income, leading to avoidance.
  • The training process is long and difficult, taking much time to train new specialists.

• Government support measures are being discussed. Main support measures include:

  • Expanding incentives for trauma surgeons and improving working conditions.
  • Reviewing ways to reduce hospital financial burden by increasing regional trauma center operating support.
  • Planning to expand training hospitals and provide scholarships for training trauma surgeons.
  • Researching ways to supplement specialist shortages through telemedicine and AI diagnostic system introduction.
  • Discussing expansion of regional trauma centers centered on national university hospitals and strengthening public healthcare.

4️⃣ Related Term Explanations

🔎 Trauma

• Trauma means injury to the body caused by external impact.
• Trauma refers to damage to the body caused by external physical force such as car accidents, falls, violence, or sports injuries. Medically, it's a term used to describe tissue damage caused by external force.
• Trauma classification includes: First, by injury location - head trauma, chest trauma, abdominal trauma, limb trauma, etc. Second, by injury severity - mild, moderate, severe trauma. Third, by injury mechanism - blunt trauma (car accidents, etc.) and penetrating trauma (knife wounds, gunshots, etc.). Fourth, by number of injury sites - single trauma and multiple trauma.
• Trauma is one of the major causes of death worldwide, especially a major cause of death and disability in young age groups. Regional trauma centers are facilities that specialize in treating these trauma patients, particularly severe trauma patients whose lives are in danger.

🔎 Golden Hour

• Golden hour means the most important first hour in treating critical patients.
• Golden hour refers to the most important time period for survival rate and minimizing aftereffects for patients whose lives are in danger from trauma or acute illness. For trauma cases, if proper treatment is received within the first hour after an accident, survival possibilities increase greatly.
• The importance of golden hour includes: First, it can prevent hemorrhagic shock from massive bleeding. Second, it can prevent brain death through airway securing and breathing support. Third, it can minimize organ damage through quick surgery. Fourth, it can prevent secondary damage through emergency treatment.
• To keep the golden hour requires quick emergency treatment, fast transport, and systems for immediate surgery. Regional trauma centers have specialists on standby 24 hours for treatment within this golden hour and have quick transport systems like helicopter transport.

🔎 Trauma Surgeon

• A trauma surgeon is a doctor who specializes in treating severe trauma patients.
• A trauma surgeon refers to a doctor who specializes in emergency surgery and intensive care for severe trauma patients from car accidents, falls, etc. They are doctors who completed additional trauma surgery subspecialty training after finishing general surgery specialist training.
• Main roles of trauma surgeons include: First, handling initial emergency treatment and priority decisions for multiple trauma patients. Second, performing emergency surgery on life-critical areas like abdominal trauma and chest trauma. Third, establishing comprehensive treatment plans through cooperation with various medical departments. Fourth, handling intensive care and complication management in intensive care units.
• Trauma surgeons need advanced emergency surgery skills, quick judgment, and experience with various trauma situations. However, they are in shortage nationwide due to very high work intensity and the burden of 24-hour standby. Securing specialists for local regional trauma centers is an urgent challenge.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What's the difference between regional trauma centers and regular emergency rooms?

A: Regional trauma centers and regular emergency rooms have big differences in target patients and treatment levels. Regular emergency rooms handle various emergency patients for primary emergency treatment and stabilization. In contrast, regional trauma centers target only severe trauma patients whose lives are in danger, with specialists available 24 hours and systems ready for immediate surgery. Specifically, regional trauma centers always have trauma surgeons on standby who can immediately perform complex emergency surgeries, and can provide comprehensive treatment for multiple trauma patients injured in several body parts. They also have advanced diagnostic equipment, operating rooms, and intensive care units to provide the highest level of trauma care. Serious trauma patients that regular emergency rooms cannot treat are transported to regional trauma centers for specialized treatment. Simply put, if regular emergency rooms are "primary clinics" for emergency patients, regional trauma centers are "specialized hospitals" for severe trauma.

Q: What are the costs when using regional trauma centers?

A: Regional trauma centers operate as public medical institutions supported by the government, minimizing patients' financial burden. In emergency situations, treatment is provided first and costs are settled later. For treatments covered by health insurance, patients only pay the same co-payment as regular hospitals, and for severe patients, various support systems like medical aid or catastrophic medical expense support can be used. Especially for trauma from car accidents, auto insurance or workers' compensation can apply, greatly reducing the patient's burden. Regional trauma centers also have social workers to counsel patients and families about economic difficulties and guide support options. Most importantly, in life-threatening situations, treatment should not be given up due to financial burden - treatment should be received first and support options found later through consultation with medical staff or social workers. The government also supports regional trauma center operating costs to reduce patient burden.