+ Trauma, which worldwide accounts for more than 5 million deaths per year, is a major cause of death in low- and middle-income countries. It has been estimated that improved trauma care could prevent as many as 2 million of those deaths. A key element of reducing trauma-related deaths is making sure injured patients, who need surgery, get to the operating room in a timely manner. In a new study, a team of Ghanaian and U.S. researchers examined whether having insurance affected trauma patients’ out-of-pocket costs and their chances to get timely surgical care after being admitted to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a large teaching hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, a city of 3.3 million.