The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Motor Vehicle Collision (MVC) cases within a large US state meeting Trauma Triage Criteria (TTC) who are ultimately cared for in trauma centres (TC). This cross-sectional observational study utilised EMS records linked with hospital discharge records for 1997. Using ICDMAP-90(r) software Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) scores were computed. ICD-9-CM and E-codes were used to define acute trauma cases resulting from motor vehicle collisions. This population-based system evaluation demonstrated effective TTC implementation in urban areas. However, in rural areas, many severely injured patients were transported to non-trauma centres. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting