Figure 1. Continuous Albers equal area projections showing geographic access to high capability severe acute respiratory failure centers in the United States.

Geographic access is defined using two separate hospital criteria: provision of ECMO or high annual volume of mechanical ventilation. The dark orange areas show regions with direct high capability severe acute respiratory failure center geographic access. Medium orange areas show regions with geographic access after a one-hour ground or air interhospital transfer. Light orange areas show regions with geographic access after a two-hour ground or air interhospital transfer. ECMO: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; MV: high annual volume of mechanical ventilation.