TRAUMA SYSTEM

1. TRAUMA SYSTEM Mazen S. Zenati, M.D, MPH, Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh Department of Surgery and Epidemiology

2. Significance & Effectiveness

3. Trauma= Injury • Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for persons age 1 to 44 years old. • In 1995 alone, injuries were responsible for 147,891 deaths, 2.6 million hospital admissions, and more than 36 million emergency department visits nationwide. • Injury is America’s most expensive disease process, costing nearly $180 billion/year. • Trauma causes more than 300,000 permanent disabilities annually. • An estimated 25,000 trauma deaths annually are preventable. • Each year, nearly 25% of all Americans sustain an injury requiring medical attention. • The death rate from unintentional injury is more than 50% higher in rural areas than in urban areas

4. Trauma system • A trauma system is an organized approach to facilitating multidisciplinary system response to severely injured patients: • in a defined geographic area • that delivers the full range of services • to all trauma patients • and is integrated with the public health system for injury prevention and surveillance • Benefits • Increase survival of seriously injured • Reduce burden of trauma-related death and disability • Improve efficiency of system components

5. Trauma System • A trauma system includes: • EMS interventions • Emergency department interventions • Intensive and surgical in-hospital care • Rehabilitation • Social services • Injury prevention • Research • Education • Disaster Planning

6. An organized Trauma System links the necessary resources to maximize patient recovery

7. Example of system goals • Monitor the state’s population-based occurrence of injury • Assure integration and coordination of trauma system through effective partnerships • Assure secure and adequate financing • Monitor and track patient outcomes including death and disability as well as system performance • Coordinate emergency and disaster preparedness with responsible state agencies

8. Landmark Paper • Trauma Mortality in Orange County: The Effect of Implementation of Regional Trauma System Cales RH. Ann Emerg Med. 1984; 13:1-10

9. Preventable death: The impact of trauma systems

10. Trauma System & Crash Mortality Nathens et.al., 2000

11. Trauma System & Crash Mortality Nathens et.al., 2000

12. Hospital volume-performance: the evidence • Smith et. al. J. Trauma 1990: • Analysis of 1,643 patients with major injuries: inverse relationship between volume & mortality • Nathens et. al. JAMA 2001: • Demonstrated improved outcome for patients admitted to high volume centers with penetrating injury & shock and those in coma • Freeman et. al. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2006: • There was evidence that patients with complex needs, such as the multiple injured or those with head injuries, had better outcomes in higher volume centers. • Peitzman at. al. Ann Surg. 2000: • Annual admissions increased from 813 to 2669 from 1987 to 1995. Decreased in deaths, hospital length of stay and in complications. As the trauma center matured, the process of delivering patient care became more efficient. The result was improved survival, fewer complications, and a shorter length of stay.

13. Hospital volume-performance: the evidence

14. 2004 82% of major trauma patients lived Trauma Outcomes Have Improved Dramatically Since 1995 1995 75% of major trauma patients lived

15. The Golden hour Early trauma deaths can be impacted by rapid evaluation and resuscitation A well- organized trauma system can prevent 20-40% of deaths

16. Mortality for Major Trauma in Washington State(ISS>=16, State Criteria, Excluding Transfers) *Partial year

17. Barriers to Trauma System • Competition among providers (EMS, hospitals) • High cost of resources (surgeons, other hospital staff, imaging and other equipment) • The availability of in-call specialized trauma surgeons, nurses and other related personnel • High proportion of patients with low-paying (or no) coverage • Maldistribution of resources in relation to risk of injury (particularly rural areas) • Inadequate attention to and funding for injury prevention and surveillance

18. Threatened Trauma Centers 2001 - 2002 HRSA 2003-2004 State Leadership Meeting, Robert C. Mackersie, M.D.

19. Why we are not so much excited “If a disease were killing our children in the proportion that injuries are, people would be outraged and demand that this killer be stopped.” C. Everett Koop at a meeting of the National Safe Kids Campaign

20. More than 4 million potential years of productive life are lost annually due to injury, exceeding losses from heart disease, cancer & stroke COMBINED

21. Everyone pays injury costs THE ANNUAL NATIONAL COST OF INJURY IS ESTIMATED TO BE $ 188 BILLION

22. In order to succeed, regional trauma systems development must have adequate funding as well as participation from healthcare consumers, local and state government and trauma care providers from all disciplines.

23. Trauma systems save lives ! By developing trauma care standards By providing professional education By actively promoting prevention activities By enhancing systems of care By improving communications throughout the network

24. Tools to Evaluate Trauma