title: Preliminary analysis of the care of injured patients in five Scottish teaching hospitals: first report from the Scottish Trauma Audit Group (STAG).
abstract: In 1991, the Scottish Trauma Audit Group (STAG) was established to measure the effectiveness of management of major trauma. A review of the care of seriously injured patients admitted to five teaching hospitals was undertaken. Information on 3,790 patients admitted for three days or more, transferred, admitted to an intensive therapy unit or who died from their injuries, was held on computer at the end of August 1993. The outcome of 1,418 cases was assessed objectively using an injury scoring system and compared to national norms. Mortality for patients sustaining blunt trauma was not significantly better or worse than the average standard of clinical care predicted from a UK database. Differences were noted in the performance of the five centres, and two of the hospitals had a significantly higher mortality that that predicted from a comparable North American dataset. There would appear to be delays in transferring seriously injured patients from the scene and in providing experienced staff and timely operations in hospital. The management of seriously injured patients in major centres in Scotland could be improved upon significantly.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012151:Resuscitation; D012606:Scotland; D013043:Specialties, Surgical; D013997:Time Factors; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy