[Quality management of severely injured patients]

The process of care of a severely injured patient from the site of the accident up to rehabilitation is complex and the result may be influenced by many factors. The outcome of the patient is determined by the primary injury caused by the accident but also by the secondary injury which is influenced by the quality of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Different studies observed a negative correlation between the duration of diagnostic procedures in the initial phase in the emergency room and the outcome of the patient. It could be shown that a standardized documentation of emergency room procedures and the discussion of the resulting data in quality circles contributed to an improved survival of patients. Beside these internal quality circles the trauma registry of the German Trauma Society provides the possibility of external comparison.