Citation

Pracht EE, Langland-Orban B, Flint LM. J. Trauma 2011; 71(1): 69-77.

Affiliation

From the Health Policy and Management (E.E.P., B.L.-O.), Tampa, Florida; and Division of Education (L.F.), American College of Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/TA.0b013e31820e82b7

PMID

21818016

Abstract

BACKGROUND: : This article analyzes the effectiveness of designated trauma centers (DTCs) in Florida concerning reduction in the mortality risk of severely injured elderly trauma victims.

METHODS: : Inpatient hospital data collected by the Agency for Health Care Administration were used to identify elderly trauma patients. An instrumental variables method was used to adjust for prehospital selection bias in addition to the influence of age, gender, race, risk of mortality, comorbidities, and type of injury. The model was estimated using a bivariate probit full information maximum likelihood model to determine the impact of triage to a trauma center as opposed to a nontrauma hospital.

RESULTS: : After adjusting for confounding influences, treatment at a DTC was associated with a statistically significant reduction of 0.072, 0.040, and 0.036 in the probability of mortality for patients in the age groups 65 years to 74 years, 75 years to 84 years, and ≥85 years, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: : Treatment of severely injured elderly trauma patients in DTCs is associated with statistically significant gains in the probability of survival.

Language: en