Appropriateness of patient transfer with associated orthopaedic injuries to a Level I trauma center
Autor: | David M. Kaehr, Greg Reveal, Jason Heisler, Mitchell Kuhl, Palaniswamy Vijay, Amer Zeni, Renn J Crichlow, Dana L Musapatika |
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Rok vydání: | 2010 |
Předmět: |
Adult
Male Patient Transfer medicine.medical_specialty Indiana Adolescent Visual analogue scale Fractures Bone Young Adult Trauma Centers Risk Factors Epidemiology medicine Humans Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Orthopedic Procedures Prospective Studies Child Patient transfer Referral and Consultation Medical Audit business.industry Trauma center Age Factors Orthopaedic nursing General Medicine Emergency department Middle Aged Emergency medicine Orthopedic surgery Cohort Surgery Female business |
Zdroj: | Journal of orthopaedic trauma. 24(6) |
ISSN: | 1531-2291 |
Popis: | OBJECTIVE To prospectively evaluate the appropriateness, indications, risk factors, and epidemiology of patients with orthopaedic injuries transferred to a Level I trauma center. DESIGN Prospective data were supplemented through chart review on all patients transferred to a Level I trauma center with orthopaedic injuries (n = 546) from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2007. The accepting orthopaedic trauma surgeon evaluated the appropriateness of transfer by visual analog scale. SETTING A Level I trauma center. PARTICIPANTS Patients transferred to the trauma center requiring orthopaedic trauma service involvement. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Demographics and visual analog scale appropriateness scores were collected on each patient. RESULTS The authors considered 16.5% of the cohort inappropriate transfers, 49.3% appropriate, and the remaining 34.2% were designated as intermediate. The transfers came from an emergency department physician in 81% of cases, an orthopaedic surgeon in 14% of cases, and 5% by general surgeon or internist. One hundred forty-eight cases transferred primarily as a result of orthopaedic injuries had an available orthopaedic surgeon on-call at the original institution. Sixty percent were transferred as a result of orthopaedic injury complexity, but only 39% of the 148 were evaluated by an actual orthopaedic surgeon before transfer. Lack of orthopaedic coverage at the referring hospital accounted for 27% of transfers. CONCLUSIONS A total of 16.5% of transfers were deemed completely inappropriate by the accepting orthopaedic traumatologist. Most transfers, both appropriate and inappropriate, were attributed to either complete lack of orthopaedic coverage or a lack of expertise at the referring center. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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