Non-Trauma Service Admissions: Should We Care?

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma requires that trauma centers with greater than 10 per cent injured patients admitted to non-trauma services (NTSs) have processes to review these for appropriateness of care. We previously described an algorithm to determine the appropriateness of NTS admissions. Our objective was to determine if the outcome and process of care was similar between TS- and NTS-admitted patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of our trauma registry. NTS-appropriate patients by algorithm were included. Differences between patients admitted to a TS and an NTS were compared. Nine hundred forty-one patients met the algorithm criteria as appropriate for the NTS; 694 were admitted to TS and 247 to NTS. Contact with TS was the most common association with admission to TS. NTS patients were older and had similar Injury Severity Scores, and a similar proportion had three or greater pre-existing comorbidities. NTS-admitted patients had similar risk for mortality and complications, but longer length of stay, and were less likely to have a desirable discharge disposition. Minimally injured elderly patients constitute most of NTS and a large proportion of TS admissions. NTS admission seems appropriate with respect to mortality and complications. Differences in the care process may have accounted for longer length of stay and differences in disposition destination.