Citation

Morris R, Karam BS, Murphy P, Jenkins P, Milia D, Hemmila M, Haines K, Puzio T, de Moya M, Tignanelli C. J. Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/TA.0000000000003125

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Despite major improvements in the United States trauma system over the past two decades, prehospital trauma triage is a significant challenge. Undertriage is associated with increased mortality and overtriage results in significant resource overuse. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma benchmarks for undertriage and overtriage are not being met. Many barriers to appropriate field triage exist, including lack of a formal definition for major trauma, absence of a simple and widely applicable triage mode and EMS adherence to triage protocols. Modern trauma triage systems should ideally be based on the need for intervention rather than injury severity. Future studies should focus on identifying the ideal definition for major trauma and creating triage models that can be easily deployed. This narrative review article presents challenges and potential solutions for prehospital trauma triage. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.

Language: en