Trauma triage criteria system compliance for victims of motor vehicle crashes

The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Motor Vehicle Collision cases within a large state meeting Trauma Triage Criteria (TTC) who are ultimately cared for in trauma centers (TC). This cross-sectional observational study utilized EMS records linked with hospital discharge records for the year 1997. Using ICDMAP-90 AIS and ISS scores were computed. ICD-9-CM and E-codes were used to define acute trauma cases resulting from motor vehicle collisions. This population-based system evaluation demonstrated effective TTC implementation in urban areas. However, in rural areas, many severely injured patients were transported to non-trauma centers.