BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Every year in the U.S., more than 40,000 people are hospitalized for burn injuries -- however only one-tenth are brought to specialized burn centers for treatment.

Treating severe burns properly requires specialized equipment and experienced personnel -- resources typically only available at dedicated burn centers. Specialized care benefits patients and can make a significant difference in burn outcomes.

In order to see how accessible these burn centers are to Americans -- whether they live in Juneau, Alaska, or Tampa, Florida -- a new study at the University of Washington calculated how long a trip to a burn center would take, by road or by medical helicopter.

They found that over half of the population was not within a two-hour range of a burn center by car, while 21 percent were still out of range even if taken by helicopter.

Researchers found that access to specialized burn care varied widely by region, with the northeast having the most access, and the south having the least.

Researchers hoped that increased awareness of the importance of burn centers will help hospitals decide to dedicate resources to providing specialized burn care.