[Management of minor head injuries in Norwegian hospitals--can the quality be improved?]

Management protocols for minor head injury should include strategies for early detection of intracranial haematomas. This study focuses on the management of minor head injury in 63 Norwegian hospitals. We report considerable inter-hospital variation. In most (81%) hospitals, minor head injury patients were treated by general surgeons. Emergency room evaluation included routine radiological evaluation, usually skull radiography, in 18 (29%) hospitals, and assessment according to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in 27 (43%). GCS was used during in-hospital observation in 32 (51%) hospitals. 33 (52%) discharged selected minor head injury patients without in-hospital observation. We conclude that the quality of care for minor head injury patients in Norwegian hospitals can be improved through extended use of routine early CT and consistent evaluation according to GCS.