Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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New York State developed a statewide trauma program in the early 1990s. Designation of trauma centers and prehospital triage of patients by emergency medical services are pillars of the system. Outcomes are evaluated as part of the quality improvement system. ⋯ Other "high-risk" populations were identified for special consideration by emergency medical technicians for trauma center transport because of their associated higher mortality. One "high-risk" group, patients older than 55 years or younger than 5 years, has associated 11% mortality (compare with a statewide average of 7.43%) and represents 41% of all registry patients. Population-based trauma registries and structured prehospital trauma records that accurately record the presence or absence of trauma criteria are essential to evaluate trauma triage criteria; improve quality, efficiency, and access; and guide care.
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A number of triage tools have been developed and used to make triage decisions. Studies have demonstrated better outcomes in patients who receive care in trauma centers. ⋯ The best system for a given community or region is one that begins with a triage scheme that is evidence based to the greatest extent possible but is then modified based on community or regional resources and geography. Delivering the severely injured trauma patient to a facility that can provide optimal care, in the shortest amount of the time, remains the overarching principle.
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The fundamental tenet of a trauma system is to get the right patient to the right hospital at the right time. Although most injuries are minor or moderate and can be managed at local community hospitals, a significant minority of injured patients require extensive and expensive care to survive or minimize injury. Most prehospital trauma triage criteria address a combination of factors to consider, but this approach sometimes fails to identify patients with severe injuries and often burdens trauma centers with patients suffering minor injuries. ⋯ All these institutions should establish and maintain transfer agreements for the transfer of patients meeting system trauma triage criteria. Because prehospital triage criteria are not 100% sensitive, there should be a mechanism in place for the secondary triage of patients. Initial management of patients should continue while efforts are made to transfer the patient.
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The absence of emergency medical services (EMS) patient care data has hindered development and evaluation of EMS systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in cooperation with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has provided funding to the National Association of State EMS Directors to develop a National EMS Information System (NEMSIS). NEMSIS is being designed to provide a uniform national EMS dataset, with standard terms, definitions, and values, as well as a national EMS database, with aggregated data from all states on a limited number of data elements. ⋯ The Technical Assistance Center will also biannually assess state and territorial capabilities to provide data to the national EMS database. NEMSIS will provide a uniform national EMS dataset, with standard terms, definitions, and values, as well as a national EMS database, with aggregated data from all states on a limited number of data elements. Many of the potential benefits of implementation of NEMSIS are enumerated in this report.
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Comparative Study
Evaluating an emergency medical services-initiated nontransport system.
To evaluate both factors predicting nontransport and mortality rates in an emergency medical services system with a nontransport policy. ⋯ Age is a determinant when deciding on transporting patients. Patients with complaints with potentially higher acuity were transported most often. Only two nontransported patients died within 30 days, although it is unknown whether initial transport would have changed their mortality. Our data suggest that emergency medical services-initiated nontransport is influenced only by age and chief complaint and may not result in significant mortality.