Identifying temporal patterns in trauma admissions: Informing resource allocation.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Trauma Surgery
• Public Health Analytics

Background:

• Understanding temporal patterns in trauma admissions is crucial for optimizing hospital resources and staffing.
• Limited research exists on how these patterns vary by patient acuity, injury mechanism, or intervention needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate temporal and seasonal patterns in trauma admissions.
• To analyze these patterns based on patient acuity, trauma mechanism, and disposition.

Main Methods:

• A 3-year cross-sectional observational study of adult trauma patient flow at a Level 1 trauma center.
• Frequency analysis of 10,684 trauma contacts, examining admission timing by emergency department (ED) disposition and injury mechanism.

Main Results:

• Trauma admissions were significantly higher on weekends than weekdays and peaked around evening shift change (6-7 PM).
• Admission timing varied by ED disposition, with penetrating injuries presenting later than blunt trauma.
• A high incidence trauma season was identified from April to late October, with motorcycle crashes showing the greatest seasonal dependence.

Conclusions:

• Novel temporal patterns in trauma admissions were identified, including later presentation times for penetrating injuries and critically ill patients requiring surgery.
• These findings suggest underlying reasons for later operative patient arrivals and offer insights for improved trauma care management.