Study: Trauma Center Placement Saves Lives in Chicago

Opening of University of Chicago Medicine's Level 1 trauma center linked to 3.9% reduction in firearm mortality

Mar. 27, 2026 at 6:42am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A recent study in JAMA Surgery found that the opening of the University of Chicago Medicine's Level 1 trauma center in 2018 was associated with a nearly 4% reduction in firearm mortality in the surrounding South Side neighborhoods, thanks to faster and closer emergency treatment for gunshot victims.

Why it matters

For decades, Chicago's South Side neighborhoods have experienced high rates of firearm violence, making speedy access to expert trauma care a matter of life and death. The study highlights how strategic placement of trauma centers in urban areas with high levels of gun violence can have a tangible, lifesaving impact.

The details

The researchers gathered and analyzed public data on more than 45,000 firearm-related incidents across Chicago between 2010 and 2024. Within the UChicago Medicine service area, the time it took for shooting victims to reach a trauma center dropped by nearly 10 minutes on average after May 2018, and the distance traveled decreased by about 3.4 miles. The percentage of shooting victims who died in this area also decreased by 3.9% after the trauma center opened.

  • The University of Chicago Medicine's Level 1 trauma center opened in May 2018.
  • The study analyzed data on firearm-related incidents in Chicago from 2010 to 2024.

The players

University of Chicago Medicine

A major academic medical center that opened a Level 1 trauma center in 2018 to serve Chicago's South Side neighborhoods.

Michael Poulson, MD, MPH

A trauma surgery fellow at UChicago Medicine and the first author of the study published in JAMA Surgery.

Selwyn O. Rogers, Jr., MD, MPH

The Section Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and the founding director of the UChicago Medicine trauma center.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The findings show that careful placement of trauma centers in or near communities impacted by gun violence can save lives.”

— Michael Poulson, Trauma Surgery Fellow

“To put that in perspective, for every 1,000 shooting injuries in the service area, our estimates suggest about 39 lives were saved who might not have survived without this improved access.”

— Michael Poulson, Trauma Surgery Fellow

“This is a clear example of how improving access to trauma care has a tangible, lifesaving effect. When someone suffers a critical injury, every minute between injury and treatment matters.”

— Selwyn O. Rogers, Jr., Section Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

What’s next

The study authors recommend that policymakers and other health systems use this type of analysis to guide decisions about where trauma centers should be located, especially in urban areas with high levels of firearm violence.

The takeaway

This study demonstrates how strategic placement of trauma centers in communities impacted by gun violence can have a significant, lifesaving impact by reducing response times and mortality rates for shooting victims. It highlights the importance of data-driven trauma system planning to ensure emergency care resources are invested where they will make the biggest difference.