Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Observational Study
Clinical Decision Support Intervention and Time to Imaging in Older Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of elderly trauma admissions. Previous research identified that each minute delay to TBI diagnosis was associated with a 2% mortality increase, delaying treatment to older patients (age ≥70 years) who do not meet trauma activation criteria. A TBI protocol and clinical decision support intervention (CDS-I) were developed to reduce time to imaging in older patients with head trauma not meeting trauma activation criteria. ⋯ A significant proportion of older patients receiving anticoagulation, but not meeting trauma activation criteria, had positive CT findings. Implementation of a rapid triage protocol with CDS-I reduced time to imaging and may reduce mortality in the highest-risk populations.