Metrics
2 File views/ downloads
127 Record Views
Journal article
Association of mechanism of injury with overtriage of injured youth patients as trauma alerts
Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, Vol.4
4
2019
Web of Science ID: WOS:000672553800039
Abstract
Background: Trauma alert criteria include physiologic and anatomic criteria, although field triage based on injury mechanism is common. This analysis evaluates injury mechanisms associated with pediatric trauma alert overtriage and estimates the effect of overtriage on patient care costs.
Methods: Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration inpatient and financial data for 2012–2014 were used. The study population included mildly and moderately injured patients aged 5–15 years brought to a trauma center and had an International Classification of Diseases-based Injury Severity Score survival probability ≥0.90, a recorded mechanism of injury, no surgery, a hospital stay less than 24 hours, and discharged to home. Overtriaged patients were those who had a trauma alert. Logistic regression was used to analyze the odds of overtriage relative to mechanism of injury and multivariable linear regression was used to analyze cost of overtriage.
Results: Twenty percent of patients were overtriaged; yet these patients accounted for 37.2% of total costs. The mechanisms of injury related to firearms (OR 11.99) and motor vehicle traffic (2.25) were positively associated with overtriage as a trauma alert. Inpatient costs were 131.8% higher for overtriaged patients.
Discussion: Firearm injuries and motor vehicle injuries can be associated with severe injuries. However, in this sample, a proportion of patients with this mechanism suffered minimal injuries. It is possible that further identifying relevant anatomic and physiologic criteria in youth may help decrease overtriage without compromising outcomes.
Level of evidence Economic, level IV.
Details
- Title
- Association of mechanism of injury with overtriage of injured youth patients as trauma alerts
- Publication Details
- Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, Vol.4
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- B M J Group; United Kingdom
- Series
- 4
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 5
- Copyright
- Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions.
- Identifiers
- WOS:000672553800039; 99380090306206600
- Academic Unit
- Health Sciences and Administration; Usha Kundu, MD College of Health
- Language
- English