Annals of surgery
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This study used population-based data bases to assess the association of trauma centers with per capita county hospitalization and trauma death rates in the State of North Carolina. ⋯ The study showed that the presence of a trauma center and advanced life support training were the two medical system factors that were the best predictors of the per capita county prehospital and total trauma death rates. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that trauma centers are associated with a decrease in trauma death rates.