Transport patterns and complications in an isolated Alaska practice.
This study reviews the patterns of transport and complications that occurred in 169 cases of transporting patients over a four-year period for a small, isolated Alaskan community in which the physicians as a matter of policy attempted to avoid heroic emergency surgery. Case descriptions are included describing transport-related complications and mortality and morbidity of patients transferred. A low incidence of mortality and relatively little long-term morbidity was experienced, supporting the feasibility of transferring severely ill patients rather than attempting heroic surgery under marginal circumstances. Although the lack of comparable studies limits the usefulness of these findings in assessing the overall quality of care, appropriate utilization of transport as an extension of the physician's capabilities resulted in a low incidence of complications during the study period.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska; D004630:Emergencies / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014187:Transportation of Patients