Trauma Care Systems in Urban Areas: Our Thoughts on the Contrasting Approaches in South Korea and Japan

Trauma is a major global health issue, causing significant mortality, disability, and healthcare expenses. Since 2012, the Ajou Trauma Center in South Korea has been at the forefront, providing centralized severe trauma care for a population of 9.5 million. In 2022, the center managed 3,500 cases of severe trauma, including 500 helicopter transports, and conducted 2,800 surgeries, with 450 addressing torso trauma. Its exceptional performance has garnered global recognition, solidifying its position among the top advanced trauma centers. In Tokyo, critically ill and major trauma patients are currently transported to the nearest emergency and critical care centers, each serving a population of approximately 0.5 to 0.6 million people. Due to the low incidence of trauma per facility and an aging population, implementing a high level of trauma care and a comprehensive training framework within Japan's existing system poses significant challenges. A comparative analysis of South Korea's centralized system and Tokyo's decentralized approach indicates that the centralized system may lead to the establishment of a more advanced trauma center with ethical and equity considerations, compared to the decentralized approach. Therefore, consolidating major trauma cases in Tokyo shows promise for establishing exceptional trauma centers. This emphasizes the urgent need for Japan to take immediate steps towards a more robust future in trauma care. This assertion aligns with the global discourse on improving trauma care practices and could make a valuable contribution to the scholarly literature on trauma care systems.