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Ross SW, Campion E, Jensen AR, Gray L, Gross T, Namias N, Goodloe JM, Bulger EM, Fischer PE, Fallat ME. Prehospital and emergency department pediatric readiness for injured children: A statement from the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Emergency Medical Services Committee. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2023; 95:e6-e10. [PMID: 37125944 DOI: 10.1097/ta.0000000000003997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Injury is the leading cause of death in children older than 1 year, and children make up 22% of the population. Pediatric readiness (PR) of the nation's emergency departments and state trauma and emergency medical services (EMS) systems is conceptually important and vital to mitigate mortality and morbidity in this population. The extension of PR to the trauma community has become a focused area for training, staffing, education, and equipment at all levels of trauma center designation, and there is evidence that a higher level of emergency department PR is independently associated with long-term survival among injured children. Although less well studied, there is an associated need for EMS PR, which is relevant to the injured child who needs assessment, treatment, triage, and transport to a trauma center. We outline a blueprint along with recommendations for incorporating PR into trauma system development in this opinion from the EMS Committee of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. These recommendations are particularly pertinent in the rural and underserved areas of the United States but are directed toward all levels of professionals who care for an injured child along the trauma continuum of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Wade Ross
- From the Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery (S.W.R.), F.H. "Sammy" Ross, Jr. Trauma Center, Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Charlotte, North Carolina; Division of GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery (E.C.), University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado; Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery (A.R.J.), UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, California; Department of Pediatrics (L.G.), The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas; Department of Pediatrics (T.G.), Children's Hospital New Orleans, Tulane University School of Medicine; LSU Health Sciences Center (T.G.), New Orleans, Louisiana; Division of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery (N.N.), Ryder Trauma Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Department of Emergency Medicine (J.M.G.), University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Division of Trauma, Burns, and Critical Care, Department of Surgery (E.M.B.), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Division of Trauma Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery (P.E.F.), University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee; and Hiram C. Polk, Jr. Department of Surgery (M.E.F.), University of Louisville and Norton Children's Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky
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Pai PK, Klinkner DB. Pediatric trauma in the rural and low resourced communities. Semin Pediatr Surg 2022; 31:151222. [PMID: 36399948 DOI: 10.1016/j.sempedsurg.2022.151222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Death and disability associated with traumatic injury can be significantly decreased with timely and appropriate care. Patients in rural areas tend to have disproportionately decreased access to this care, with the pediatric age group acting as a particularly difficult challenge for pre-hospital and rural hospital settings due to the unfamiliarity of those trauma response teams with pediatric age specific management guidelines as well as a disparity in resource availability. In this review, we attempt to discuss the challenges facing pediatric trauma care in the rural and low resourced communities, as well as initiatives that are being carried out to optimize this kind of care, such as pediatric readiness, rapid transportation to higher levels of care, availability of blood in rural centers as well as in transit, and the utility of telemedicine in improving rural pediatric trauma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya K Pai
- Preliminary General Surgery Resident Department of Surgery Mayo Clinic 200 First Street SW, Rochester MN 55905, USA
| | - Denise B Klinkner
- Division of Pediatric Surgery Associate Professor in Pediatric Surgery, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Practice Chair, Pediatric Trauma Center, USA.
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