Trauma systems in Canada: striving for quality across an expansive landmass

Abstract

Although Canada has a universal health care program that provides free in-hospital services to all citizens, its vast landmass and nonstandardized prehospital and posthospital systems make delivering quality trauma care challenging, particularly to resource-limited rural regions. This article summarizes the strengths of the prehospital system, facility-based care, trauma network, trauma registry, rehabilitation, and governance/financing/quality assurance components of Canada’s trauma system. Future directions, including the use of telemedicine, standardization of practices, and resource optimization, are also explored. Canada’s trauma system is well developed, yet geography impedes equitable access. More standardization and resource optimization are needed.