title: Epidemiological and economic aspects of polytrauma management in Austria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Austria, treatment of multiple trauma patients has developed into an established nationwide trauma center specialty with its own unique identity. Although it represents a substantial financial investment, it ensures supply at international standards. The question of whether multiple trauma patients should be treated only in specialized trauma centers or in several hospitals remains controversial on both national and international grounds. The aim of this study was to assess Austrian trauma departments for international comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a survey of all 54 Austrian trauma departments by collecting data through questionnaires. The number of staff, potential of infrastructure, and treatment strategies were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  93.3% of the trauma departments responded to the questionnaires. In level I trauma centers the amount of trauma beds reached 11% of the total bed capacity, 13% in level II, and 18% in level III units. Level I centers showed an average of 35% of intensive care beds for trauma patients. 53% and 51% were the proportions for level II and III centers. Level I hospitals displayed an average of 28.3 trauma surgeons, while level II and III units had less doctors at their disposal in the trauma departments. On average, 94% of the patients arrived by emergency medical support at the hospital. 94% of the trauma departments used chest tubes, 70% performed craniotomies and neurovascular reconstruction. 33% of the centers were equipped to perform replantations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data demonstrate the broad spectrum of polytrauma treatment in Austrian trauma centers. The discussed need for centralization of polytrauma care cannot be justified based on these data. Limiting from a medical perspective, however, is the lacking comparability of quality of care due to the currently missing objective quality criteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. silke.aldrian.meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aldrian
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wernhart
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Negrin
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halat
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwendenwein
authors.forename: Vilmos
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vécsei
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajdu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D014194:Traumatology / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult