Enhancing Trauma Care Through Geospatial Strategies: Tailored Approaches to a Worldwide Challenge

By
Michael K. Dalton
Molly P. Jarman
September 29, 2026

Jama Network Open

Objective:

To model the geographic distribution of traumatic injury incidence and identify candidate hospitals for trauma care in South Korea's Gyeonggi province.

Approach:

Geographic Information System Modeling: Utilized fixed resource–constrained GIS modeling to optimize hospital resources for trauma care.

Key Findings:

Timely access to trauma care is crucial for reducing avoidable death and disability.
The centralized trauma system in South Korea allows for more efficient resource allocation compared to the decentralized US system.
Equity and efficiency are key considerations in trauma system modeling.

Interpretation:

The findings highlight the importance of a centralized approach in optimizing trauma care resources and addressing regional disparities in access.

Limitations:

The study's findings may not be directly applicable to decentralized systems like that of the US.
The analysis is limited to the Gyeonggi province and may not reflect conditions in other regions.

Conclusion:

The data presented are essential for developing an evidence-guided trauma system, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach in trauma center distribution and resource allocation.