Multiregion Trauma Center Follow-Up Protocol for Transferred Trauma Patients

3/1/2022

Background:
Trauma centers routinely utilize the Injury Severity Score for performance improvement. Yet, transferring facilities do not always have access to patients' final Injury Severity Score.

Objective:
The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a multiregion Injury Severity Score follow-up feedback protocol for transferring facilities to receive standardized information on patient treatment and the ability to calculate an accurate follow-up Injury Severity Score of transferred patients.

Methods:
This project included 25 Adult and Pediatric Level I, II, and III trauma centers within three regional trauma systems in a Midwestern state. This project included trauma centers that used one of the two different trauma registry software systems as a solution to develop and implement a protocol for follow-up feedback for transferred trauma patients. A template was created to capture data posttransfer to calculate a final Injury Severity Score.

Results:
The feedback protocol was well received by participating regions. Implementation revealed the impact of variable trauma registry software on the ability to create multi-institution feedback programs.

Conclusion:
Trauma systems can implement similar strategies to ensure transferring trauma centers routinely receive standardized, timely patient feedback.