The Florida trauma system: assessment of a statewide data base

The State of Florida maintains a statewide trauma registry. This paper examines the data provided to the registry by four Level I, four Level II, and four non-designated trauma care facilities within the state for completion. There were 18,961 patients records in the registry between 1 July 1991 and 30 June 1992 which were reviewed. Completed records were defined as containing appropriate notations for age, mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, and Injury Severity Score. The mean completion rate in Level I facilities was 22.75 per cent, in Level II facilities it was 19.75 per cent and in non-designated centres it was 31.95 per cent. The deficits in completion may lead to errors in calculating trauma system efficacy, outcomes, and costs. Assigning and enforcing responsibility for completion of trauma registry data within individual facilities may aid in the resolution of these issues.