Utilization of injury care case studies: a systematic review of the World Health Organization's "Strengthening care for the injured: Success stories and lessons learned from around the world"

Implementation of the World Health Organization Global Burn Registry: Lessons Learned

Burn injuries are a major cause of death and disability globally; however, the true epidemiologic burden is underestimated given the limited and fragmented availability of high-quality burn injury data from many regions. To address this gap, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burn Registry (GBR)—a minimum dataset aligned with a centralized registry—was officially launched in 2018 to facilitate hospital-level collection of key prevention, care, and outcome data from burn-injured patients around the world in a standardized manner. However, uptake and use of GBR has been low and inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to identify and understand the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the GBR to inform the development of a web-based GBR implementation guide through the Centre for Global Burn Injury Policy and Research and Interburns. We designed and conducted web-based surveys with “GBR users” and “GBR non-users” using purposive sampling. Themes of identified barriers and facilitators focused on awareness of the GBR, stakeholder buy-in, resource constraints, process management, and utility of the registry. The lessons learned could support current and future GBR users to promote and maximize the use of the GBR. To achieve the GBR’s full potential in global burn injury prevention and care, engagement with the GBR should be enhanced through education and promotion, development of a community of practice, tools for data utilization and quality improvement, and periodic re-evaluation.

Comparing trauma mortality of injured patients in India and the USA: a risk-adjusted analysis

Objectives

Comparisons of risk-adjusted trauma mortality between high-income countries and low and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be used to identify specific patient populations and injury patterns for targeted interventions. Due to a paucity of granular patient and injury data from LMICs, there is a lack of such comparisons. This study aims to identify independent predictors of trauma mortality and significant differences between India and the USA.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of two trauma databases was conducted. Demographic, injury, physiologic, anatomic and outcome data were analyzed from India’s Towards Improved Trauma Care Outcomes project database and the US National Trauma Data Bank from 2013 to 2015. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine significant independent predictors of mortality.

Results

687 407 adult trauma patients were included (India 11 796; USA 675 611). Patients from India were significantly younger with greater male preponderance, a higher proportion presented with physiologic abnormalities and suffered higher mortality rates (23.2% vs. 2.8%). When controlling for age, sex, physiologic abnormalities, and injury severity, sustaining an injury in India was the strongest predictor of mortality (OR 13.85, 95% CI 13.05 to 14.69). On subgroup analyses, the greatest mortality difference was seen in patients with lower Injury Severity Scores.

Conclusion

After adjusting for demographic, physiologic abnormalities, and injury severity, trauma-related mortality was found to be significantly higher in India. When compared with trauma patients in the USA, the odds of mortality are most notably different among patients with lower Injury Severity Scores. While troubling, this suggests that relatively simple, low-cost interventions focused on standard timely trauma care, early imaging, and protocolized treatment pathways could result in substantial improvements for injury mortality in India, and potentially other LMICs.

Level of evidence

Level 3, retrospective cohort study.

The Status of Quality Improvement Programs for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Care in Argentina

INTRODUCTION

Trauma quality improvement (QI) programs improve care and outcomes for injured patients. Information about QI programs for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is sparse in Latin America.

METHODS

We gathered data on the status of QI programs and activities that encompass pediatric TBI at 15 Argentine hospitals. Data were gathered during 2019 and included hospital characteristics, QI practices, presence of a queryable registry, and use of protocols for TBI care. Level of QI activities was compared between hospital types using Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care, including management and/or prevention of intracranial pressure (100%) and central-line-associated infections (87%). Morbidity and mortality meetings or other types of case discussions in which quality of pediatric TBI care was discussed were held by all hospitals, with most (53%) having weekly-monthly meetings, but 27% having rare or annual meetings. Sixty percent of hospitals had adequate data for case reviews (fewer than 25% of cases with essential information missing). Fifty-three percent documented discussions that occurred at these meetings and 53% utilized computerized trauma registries. Larger hospitals (> 200 beds) more frequently had adequate data (88%) for case reviews than smaller hospitals (29%, P = 0.046). Hospital size did not affect other QI activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care. Adequacy of care was discussed at reasonably frequent case conferences. Opportunities for improvement include increasing documentation of case reviews and improving adequacy of data for case reviews, especially at smaller hospitals. Greater use of computerized trauma registries could provide such data.

The Status of Quality Improvement Programs for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Care in Argentina

INTRODUCTION

Trauma quality improvement (QI) programs improve care and outcomes for injured patients. Information about QI programs for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is sparse in Latin America.

METHODS

We gathered data on the status of QI programs and activities that encompass pediatric TBI at 15 Argentine hospitals. Data were gathered during 2019 and included hospital characteristics, QI practices, presence of a queryable registry, and use of protocols for TBI care. Level of QI activities was compared between hospital types using Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care, including management and/or prevention of intracranial pressure (100%) and central-line-associated infections (87%). Morbidity and mortality meetings or other types of case discussions in which quality of pediatric TBI care was discussed were held by all hospitals, with most (53%) having weekly-monthly meetings, but 27% having rare or annual meetings. Sixty percent of hospitals had adequate data for case reviews (fewer than 25% of cases with essential information missing). Fifty-three percent documented discussions that occurred at these meetings and 53% utilized computerized trauma registries. Larger hospitals (> 200 beds) more frequently had adequate data (88%) for case reviews than smaller hospitals (29%, P = 0.046). Hospital size did not affect other QI activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Most hospitals had guidelines for pediatric TBI care. Adequacy of care was discussed at reasonably frequent case conferences. Opportunities for improvement include increasing documentation of case reviews and improving adequacy of data for case reviews, especially at smaller hospitals. Greater use of computerized trauma registries could provide such data.

Assessment of local supply chains and stock management practices for trauma care resources in Ghana: a comparative small sample cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Injuries are a major public health problem globally. With sound planning and organization, essential trauma care can be reliably provided with relatively low-cost equipment and supplies. However, availability of these resources requires an effective and efficient supply chain and good stock management practices. Therefore, this study aimed to assess trauma care resource-related supply management structures and processes at health facilities in Ghana. By doing so, the findings may allow us to identify specific structures and processes that could be improved to facilitate higher quality and more timely care.

METHODS

Ten hospitals were purposively selected using results from a previously performed national trauma care capacity assessment of hospitals of all levels in Ghana. Five hospitals with low resource availability and 5 hospitals with high resource availability were assessed using the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Logistics Indicators Assessment Tool and stock ledger review. Data were described and stock management practices were correlated with resource availability.

RESULTS

There were differences in stock management practices between low and high resource availability hospitals, including frequency of reporting and audit, number of stock-outs on day of assessment (median 9 vs 2 stock-outs, range 3-57 vs 0-9 stock-outs, respectively; p = 0.05), duration of stock-outs (median 171 vs 8 days, range 51-1268 vs 0-182 days, respectively; p = 0.02), and fewer of up-to-date stock cards (24 vs 31 up-to-date stock cards, respectively; p = 0.07). Stock-outs were common even among low-cost, essential resources (e.g., nasal cannulas and oxygen masks, endotracheal tubes, syringes, sutures, sterile gloves). Increased adherence to stock management guidelines and higher percentage of up-to-date stock cards were correlated with higher trauma resource availability scores. However, the variance in trauma resource availability scores was poorly explained by these individual factors or when analyzed in a multivariate regression model (r2 = 0.72; p value for each covariate between 0.17-0.34).

CONCLUSIONS

Good supply chain and stock management practices are correlated with high trauma care resource availability. The findings from this study demonstrate several opportunities to improve stock management practices, particularly at low resource availability hospitals.

Meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence in road traffic injury prevention: a scoping review of qualitative studies (2000 to 2019)

BACKGROUND

A considerable number of qualitative studies have been published in recent years on the issues that the quantitative studies have limitations on. This study aimed at performing a meta-synthesis on qualitative studies on Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) with a scoping review approach.

METHODS

This meta-synthesis study was conducted as a scoping review in 2019. The Arkesy and O'Malley framework was applied which has six steps of identifying the research question, identifying the relevant studies, selecting the studies, charting the data, data analysis and reporting the results, and consultation exercise. The required data were gathered by searching the relevant keywords in databases of PubMed, web of knowledge, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Google scholar, Sid, IranMedex. Extracted data were analyzed by the Content-Analysis method.

RESULTS

Finally, 30 studies were included. Extracted data summarized in five main themes and 17 sub-themes. The main themes were: consequences (individual, family, social, financial), the needs of survivors (social support and healthcare), risk factors (general risk factors, risk factors for motorcyclists, risk factors for children and adolescents), barriers of prevention (general barriers, pre-hospital barriers, emergency, and hospital barriers), and prevention solutions (increasing safety, rules and regulations, education, increasing equipment, scientific solutions) of RTIs.

CONCLUSION

This study combined the methods of the scoping review and the meta-synthesis to mapping all qualitative studies on the RTIs, with this approach, this study provides extensive and practical information for policy-makers, managers, practitioners, and researchers in the field of RTIs. Also, by applying this approach, the gaps in the existing knowledge and areas in need of further research are identified.

Preventable Trauma Deaths and Corrective Actions to Prevent Them: A 10-Year Comparative Study at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate of preventable trauma deaths in an African hospital, identify the potential effect of improvements in trauma care over the past decade and identify deficiencies in care that still need to be addressed.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary panel assessed pre-hospital, hospital, and postmortem data on 89 consecutive in-hospital trauma deaths over 5 months in 2017 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The panel judged the preventability of each death. For definitely and potentially preventable deaths, the panel identified deficiencies in care.

RESULTS

Thirteen percent (13%) of trauma deaths were definitely preventable, 47% potentially preventable, and 39% non-preventable. In comparison with a panel review in 2007, there was no change in total preventable deaths, but there had been a modest decrease in definitely preventable deaths (25% in 2007 to 13% in 2017, p = 0.07) There was a notable change in the pattern of deficiency (p = 0.001) with decreases in pre-hospital delay (19% of all trauma deaths in 2007 to 3% in 2017) and inadequate resuscitation (17 to 8%), but an increase in delay in treatment at the hospital (23 to 40%).

CONCLUSIONS

Over the past decade, there have been improvements in pre-hospital transport and in-hospital resuscitation. However, the preventable death rate remains unacceptably high and there are still deficiencies to address. This study also demonstrates that preventable death panel reviews are a feasible method of trauma quality improvement in the low- and middle-income country setting.

Utilization of injury care case studies: a systematic review of the World Health Organization's "Strengthening care for the injured: Success stories and lessons learned from around the world"

OBJECTIVE

Translation of evidence to practice is a public health priority. Worldwide, injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Case study publications are common and provide potentially reproducible examples of successful interventions in healthcare from the patient to systems level. However, data on how well case study publications are utilized are limited. To our knowledge, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the only collection of international case studies on injury care at the policy level. We aimed to determine the degree to which these injury care case studies have been translated to practice and to identify opportunities for enhancement of the evidence-to-practice pathway for injury care case studies overall.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review across 19 databases by searching for the title, "Strengthening care for the injured: Success stories and lessons learned from around the world." Data synthesis included realist narrative methods and two authors independently reviewed articles for injury topics, reference details, and extent of utilization.

FINDINGS

Forty-seven publications referenced the compilation of case studies, 20 of which included further descriptions of one or more of the specific cases and underwent narrative review. The most common category utilized was hospital-based care (15 publications), with the example of Thailand's quality improvement (QI) programme (10 publications) being the most commonly cited case. Also frequently cited were case studies on prehospital care (10 publications). There was infrequent utilization of case studies on rehabilitation (3 publications) and trauma systems (2 publications). No reference described a case translated to a new scenario.

CONCLUSIONS

The only available collection of policy-level injury care case studies has been utilized to a moderate extent however we found no evidence of case study translation to a new circumstance. QI programs seem especially amenable for knowledge-sharing through case studies. Prehospital care also showed promise. Greater emphasis on rehabilitation and health policy related to trauma systems is warranted. There is also a need for greater methodologic rigor in evaluation of the use of case study collections in general.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics and outcomes of head injured patients in an Ethiopian emergency centre

INTRODUCTION

Head injury is a leading cause of mortality in Africa. We characterise the epidemiology and outcomes of head injury at an Ethiopian emergency centre.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of all head injured patients presenting to the Emergency Centre of Tikur Anbessa Specialised Hospital, Addis Ababa. Data was collected via a standardised form from the patient's chart, radiology reports and operative reports. Patients were followed until discharge, facility transfer, death, or 7 days in hospital. Consent was obtained from the patient or substitute decision maker.

RESULTS

Among 204 head injured patients enrolled, the majority were <30 years old (51.0%) and male (86.8%). Forty-one percent of injuries occurred from road traffic accidents (RTAs). A significant number of patients had at least one indicator of severe injury on presentation: 51 (25.0%) had a GCS < 9, 53 (26.0%) had multi-system trauma, 95 (46.6%) had ≥1 abnormal vital sign and of the 133 patients with data available, 37 (27.8%) had a Revised Trauma Score (RTS) < 6. Patients injured by RTA were more likely to have indicators of severe injury than other mechanisms, including multi-system trauma (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.7-6.2, p = 0.00), GCS < 9 (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.8-7.4, p = 0.00), ≥1 abnormal vital sign (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.6, p = 0.00) or an RTS score < 6 (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.6-8.1, p = 0.00). Overall, 149 (73.0%) patients were discharged from hospital, 34 (16.7%) were transferred to another hospital, and 21 patients died (10.3%). In multivariable analysis, death was significantly associated with age over 60 years (aOR 68.8, 95% CI 2.0-2329.0, p = 0.02), GCS < 9 (aOR 14.8, 95% CI 2.2-99.5, p = 0.01), fixed bilateral pupils (aOR 39.1, 95% CI 4.2-362.8, p < 0.01) and hypoxia (oxygen saturation <90%; aOR 14.2%, 95% CI 2.6-123.9, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Head injury represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia, of which RTA's increase injury severity. Targeted approaches to improving care of the injured may improve outcomes.

Renal Artery Injury Secondary to Blunt Abdominal Trauma - Two Case Reports

BACKGROUND

Blunt abdominal trauma is routinely encountered in the Emergency Department. It is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality amongst the population below the age of 35 years worldwide. Renal artery injury secondary to blunt abdominal trauma however, is a rare occurrence. Here, we present two such cases, encountered in the emergency department sustaining polytrauma following motor vehicle accidents.

CASE REPORT

We hereby report two interesting cases of renal artery injury sustained in polytrauma patients. In these two cases we revealed almost the entire spectrum of findings that one would expect in renal arterial injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

Traumatic renal artery occlusion is a rare occurrence with devastating consequences if missed on imaging. Emergency radiologists need to be aware of the CT findings so as to accurately identify renal artery injury. This case report stresses the need for immediate CT assessment of polytrauma patients with suspected renal injury, leading to timely diagnosis and urgent surgical or endovascular intervention.

Population-level Spatial Access to Prehospital Care by the National Ambulance Service in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Conditions requiring emergency treatment disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where there is often insufficient prehospital care capacity. To inform targeted prehospital care development in Ghana, we aimed to describe spatial access to formal prehospital care services and identify ambulance stations for capacity expansion.

METHODS

Cost distance methods were used to evaluate areal and population-level access to prehospital care within 30 and 60 minutes of each of the 128 ambulance stations in Ghana. With network analysis methods, a two-step floating catchment area model was created to identify district-level variability in access. Districts without NAS stations within their catchment areas were identified as candidates for an additional NAS station. Additionally, five candidate stations for capacity expansion (e.g., addition of an ambulance) were then identified through iterative simulations that were designed to identify the stations that had the greatest influence on the access scores of the ten lowest access districts.

RESULTS

Following NAS inception, the proportion of Ghana's landmass serviceable within 60 minutes of a station increased from 8.7 to 59.4% from 2004 to 2014, respectively. Over the same time period, the proportion of the population with access to the NAS within 60-minutes increased from 48% to 79%. The two-step floating catchment area model identified considerable variation in district-level access scores, which ranged from 0.05 to 2.43 ambulances per 100,000 persons (median 0.45; interquartile range 0.23-0.63). Seven candidate districts for NAS station addition and five candidate NAS stations for capacity expansion were identified. The addition of one ambulance to each of the five candidate stations improved access scores in the ten lowest access districts by a total 0.22 ambulances per 100,000 persons.

CONCLUSIONS

The NAS in Ghana has expanded its population-level spatial access to the majority of the population; however, access inequality exists in both rural and urban areas that can be improved by increasing station capacity or adding additional stations. Geospatial methods to identify access inequities and inform service expansion might serve as a model for other LMICs attempting to understand and improve formal prehospital care services.

The Effect of Trauma Intervention on the Satisfaction of Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department: A Clinical Trial Study

BACKGROUND

Patient satisfaction is a key determinant of the quality of medical care. Moreover, satisfaction can be used as a criterion for examining the adequacy of the care, health, and competency of personnel.

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to determine the satisfaction of patients receiving trauma care in the emergency department of a hospital affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This simple clinical trial was performed on 104 patients admitted for traumatic injury to an emergency department in Iran. Given that patients frequently enter an emergency department for care, the sampling of patients in the department was done on days that were randomly assigned to the study group. The experimental group received trauma intervention in four areas from their admission to the emergency department to their discharge from the hospital, and the control group received routine nursing care. The data were collected through a questionnaire that asked for demographic characteristics and then went on to ask about patient satisfaction. The satisfaction questionnaire was completed after the trauma intervention at the end of patients' stay in the hospital. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software and descriptive statistical tests and analytical tests (independent t and Chi-square).

RESULTS

The mean score for total satisfaction after trauma intervention in the experimental group (45.6 ± 3.69) was significantly different from that of the control group (32.01 ± 7.78) (P < 0.001). Therefore, the levels of total satisfaction in the experimental and control group were favorable and relatively favorable, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, trauma intervention increased satisfaction in patients admitted to the emergency department. Therefore, managers and personnel of hospitals and healthcare training centers are urged to implement trauma intervention in their hospitals or healthcare training centers.

Trauma care in Africa: a status report from Botswana, guided by the World Health Organization's "Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care"

BACKGROUND

Trauma represents a significant and increasing challenge to health care systems all over the world. This study aimed to evaluate the trauma care capabilities of Botswana, a middle-income African country, by applying the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care.

METHODS

All 27 government (16 primary, 9 district, 2 referral) hospitals were surveyed. A questionnaire and checklist, based on "Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care" and locally adapted, were developed as situation analysis tools. The questionnaire assessed local trauma organization, capacity, and the presence of quality improvement activity. The checklist assessed physical availability of equipment and timely availability of trauma-related skills. Information was collected by interviews with hospital administrators, key personnel within trauma care, and through on-site physical inspection.

RESULTS

Hospitals in Botswana are reasonably well supplied with human and physical resources for trauma care, although deficiencies were noted. At the primary and district levels, both capacity and equipment for airway/breathing management and vascular access was limited. Trauma administrative functions were largely absent at all levels. No hospital in Botswana had any plans for trauma education, separate from or incorporated into other improvement activities. Team organization was nonexistent, and training activities in the emergency room were limited.

CONCLUSIONS

This study draws a picture of trauma care capabilities of an entire African country. Despite good organizational structures, Botswana has room for substantial improvement. Administrative functions, training, and human and physical resources could be improved. By applying the guidelines, this study creates an objective foundation for improved trauma care in Botswana.