Article ID: 37.3_11
Background
The quality of trauma care has not been evaluated over time in Japan.
Target and method
Among deaths within 24 h of traffic accidents in Chiba Prefecture during 2009-2019, patients with signs of life (SOL+) at contact with emergency medical services were analyzed. Data were collected from police, fire departments, and medical institutions. Each case was classified by a peer review as preventable trauma death (PTD), potentially PTD (p-PTD), or not preventable.
The following hypotheses were examined.
(1) The ratio of PTD and p-PTD (PTD rate) decreased over time.
(2) PTD and p-PTD involved problems with circulatory management and hemostasis.
(3) The PTD rate was lower at emergency critical care centers with a high volume of SOL+.
Results
Of 785 deaths, 65 were classified as PTD and 86 as p-PTD.
All three hypotheses were supported. Problems with circulatory management and/or hemostasis in the emergency department were identified in 70 cases of PTD/p-PTD (46%).
Conclusion
The PTD rate decreased over time in traffic accident deaths in Chiba Prefecture. Many PTD/p-PTD cases were found to involve problems with circulatory management and hemostasis in the emergency department.
