Streamlining pre- and intra-hospital care for patients with severe trauma: a white paper from the European Critical Care Foundation

Abstract

Purpose: Major trauma remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed and developing world. In 2013, nearly 5 million people worldwide died from their injuries, and almost 1 billion individuals sustained injuries that warranted some type of healthcare, accounting for around 10% of the global burden of disease in general. Behind the statistics, severe trauma takes a major toll on individuals, their families and healthcare systems. Management of the patient with severe trauma requires multiple interventions in a highly time-sensitive context and fragmentation of care, characterised by loss of information and time among disciplines, departments and individuals, both outside the hospital and within it, is frequent. Outcomes may be improved by better streamlining of pre- and intra-hospital care.

Methods: We describe the basis for development of a multi-stakeholder consortium by the European Critical Care Foundation working closely with a number of European Scientific Societies to address and overcome problems of fragmentation in the care of patients with severe trauma.

Result: The consortium will develop and introduce an information management system adapted to severe trauma, which will integrate continuous monitoring of vital parameters and point-of-care diagnostics. The key innovation of the project is to harness the power of information technologies and artificial intelligence to provide computer-enhanced clinical evaluation and decision-support to streamline the multiple points at which information and time are potentially lost.

Conclusions: The severe trauma management platform thus created could have multiple benefits beyond its immediate use in managing the care of injured patients.

Keywords: Fragmentation of healthcare; Information technology.