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Comment
. 2024 Dec 1;159(12):1383-1391.
doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2024.3758.

Teletrauma Use in US Emergency Departments

Zain G Hashmi  1   2 , Omar Rokayak  3 , Krislyn M Boggs  4 , Kori S Zachrison  4   5 , Janice A Espinola  4 , Molly P Jarman  6 , Jan O Jansen  1   2 , Jayme E Locke  7 , Jeffrey D Kerby  1   2 , Carlos A Camargo Jr  4   5
Affiliations
Comment

Teletrauma Use in US Emergency Departments

Zain G Hashmi et al. JAMA Surg. .

Abstract

Importance: Nearly 30 million predominantly rural US residents lack timely access to trauma care expertise available at level I or II trauma centers. Telehealth is an established approach to improve access to health care expertise using remote consultation; however, the prevalence of use of telehealth in trauma (teletrauma) across the US is not known.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of, trends in, and factors associated with teletrauma use and adoption among US emergency departments (EDs).

Design, setting, and participants: This survey study included data from the National Emergency Department Inventory (NEDI)-USA survey from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. Each year, a 1-page survey was sent to the directors of nonfederal, nonspecialty EDs by mail and email up to 3 times; nonresponders were further contacted via telephone to complete the survey. Data were analyzed from January to March 2023.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was self-reported ED use of teletrauma for each year studied. Additional measures included data regarding self-reported use of any other telehealth service and ED characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess ED characteristics associated with teletrauma use in 2020 and teletrauma adoption between 2017 and 2020.

Results: Of 5586 EDs in the US in 2020, 4512 had available teletrauma survey data (80.8% response rate); 379 (8.4%) of these EDs reported teletrauma use. In contrast, 2726 (60.4%) reported use of any other telehealth service. Teletrauma use (among EDs with any telehealth use) ranged between 0% in Alabama; Connecticut; Washington, DC; Indiana; New Jersey; Nevada; Oklahoma; Oregon; Rhode Island; and South Carolina to more than 60% in Arkansas (39 of 64 [60.9%]), South Dakota (31 of 41 [75.6%]), and North Dakota (30 of 35 [85.7%]). Factors associated with teletrauma use included rural location (odds ratio [OR], 2.44; 95% CI, 1.77-3.36), critical access hospital (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.83-3.88), and basic stroke hospital vs nonstroke hospital (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.32-2.30) designations. Factors associated with adoption of teletrauma by 2020 included critical access hospital (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.35-2.90) and basic stroke hospital vs nonstroke hospital (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.04-1.94) designation.

Conclusion and relevance: This survey study found that teletrauma use lagged significantly behind use of other telehealth services in US EDs in 2020. While most EDs using teletrauma were located in rural areas, there was significant state-level variation in teletrauma use. Future research is needed on how teletrauma is being used and to identify barriers to its wider implementation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Ms Boggs reported receiving grants from R Baby Foundation during the conduct of the study. Dr Zachrison reported receiving grants from the National Institute on Aging, American College of Emergency Physicians, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke outside the submitted work. Dr Jarman reported receiving grants from the National Institute on Aging, National Institute for Minority Health, and US Department of Defense outside the submitted work. Dr Jansen reported receiving grants from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US Department of Defense, CSL Behring, Infrascan, and RevMedX and personal fees from CSL Behring and Octapharma outside the submitted work. Dr Locke reported receiving grants from United Therapeutics and personal fees from Sanofi and Alexion outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

Figures

Figure.
Figure.. Proportion of US Emergency Departments (EDs) Using Teletrauma vs Nontrauma Telehealth Services, 2016-2020
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

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