Substandard Care In Rural Areas

In the United States (U. S.) roughly 59.5 million people live in rural areas (HRSA, 2015). This accounts for nearly 19.3% of the total population of the U.S (HRSA, 2015). These rural areas are largely populated by older adults and children who are frequently identified as vulnerable populations in trauma care. Health services in rural areas often differ from urban areas in many proportions including: less medical providers, limited access to specialty resources or diagnostic tools, and lengthy travel distances to tertiary facilities for trauma care. These adversities do not necessarily indicate substandard care of trauma patients in rural areas, but they may inhibit or further complicate care when lessening the time from admission to transfer