National research agenda for postcrash care

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Trauma Care

Background:

• Traffic crashes caused over 42,000 deaths in the US in 2021, with 40% of fatalities alive upon first responder arrival.
• The US Department of Transportation aims for zero roadway fatalities, emphasizing improved post-crash care.
• This is the first research agenda specifically for post-crash care to support the national zero-fatality goal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a prioritized research agenda for optimizing post-crash care.
• To identify key areas and specific questions for future research in emergency response to traffic incidents.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process involving 27 subject matter experts over four rounds.
• Included theme prioritization, question generation, and refinement through small and large group discussions.
• Culminated in an in-person conference in Los Angeles.

Main Results:

• Ten priority themes were identified: system issues, policy, research infrastructure, novel equipment/treatment, resuscitation, healthcare disparities, vehicle technology, safety, prehospital medical technology, and workforce issues.
• A total of 74 high-priority research questions were finalized.
• Questions covered diverse areas including universal patient tracking, improved triage, use of freeze-dried plasma, drone-delivered treatment, and automatic crash notification.

Conclusions:

• This study successfully developed a high-priority research agenda for post-crash care.
• The agenda provides a roadmap for investigators, professional societies, policymakers, and funding agencies.
• Implementation of this agenda can inform research and funding priorities to achieve the goal of zero roadway fatalities.