Emergency room management of trauma patients in Greece: preliminary report of a national study

Abstract

Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to record and to evaluate the epidemiology of trauma in Greece and to assess the quality of management provided for trauma patients in the emergency department in Greek hospitals.

Methods: The Hellenic Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery invited all the official representatives of the society throughout the country to participate in the study. The representatives that responded positively, met with the Board of the society in succeeding meetings to establish the reporting form and the inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were defined as trauma patients requiring admission, transfer to a higher level center or arrived dead or died in the emergency department of the reporting hospital. All reports were accumulated by the Hellenic Trauma society, imported in an electronic data base and analyzed. The design of the study was prospective and observational.

Results: In total 8862 patients were included in the study in 12 months time. Of them 68.7% (n=6084) were male, aged 41.8+/-20.6 (mean+/-S.D.) and 31.3% were female (n=2778), aged 52.7+/-24.1 (mean+/-S.D.). The mean duration of treatment in the emergency room department was 1h and 28min. Of the total number of patients, 2312 (26.1%) were initially assessed and managed by a specialist and 6249 (70.5%) were initially assessed and managed by a resident.

Conclusions: Data from this study show that there is substantial room for improvement in the patient care in the emergency department following trauma. Further evaluation will be required to identify particular management patterns that can be readily altered.