• David J Ciesla, Joseph J Tepas, Etienne E Pracht, Barbara Langland-Orban, John Y Cha, and Lewis M Flint.
• Department of Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33606, USA. dciesla@health.usf.edu
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2013 Apr 1; 216 (4): 687-95; discussion 695-8.

BackgroundTrauma systems are designed to deliver timely and appropriate care. Prehospital triage regulations and interfacility transfer guidelines are the primary determinants of system efficacy. We analyzed the effectiveness of the Florida trauma system in delivering trauma patients to trauma centers over time.Study DesignInjured patients were identified by ICD-9 codes from a statewide discharge dataset, and they were categorized as children (less than 16 years old), adult (16 to 65 years old), or elderly (over 65 years old). Severe injury was defined by International Classification Injury Severity Scores (ICISS) < 0.85. Residence ZIP codes were used as a surrogate for injury location.ResultsSevere injury discharges increased at designated trauma centers (DTCs) and decreased at nontrauma centers (NTCs). The proportion of patients with severe injuries discharged from DTCs increased for all age groups, capturing nearly all severely injured children and adults. Access to DTCs was dependent on proximity for severely injured elderly but not for severely injured children and adults.ConclusionsTriage improved over time, enabling near complete capture of at-risk children and adults independent of DTC proximity. Because distance from a DTC does not limit access for children and adults, existing trauma system resources are sufficient to meet the current demands. Efforts are needed to determine the trauma resource and triage needs of the severely injured elderly.Copyright © 2013 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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