TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Full-time orthopedic traumatologists enhance rural trauma center pelvic fracture outcomes and financials
JO  - American surgeon
A1  - Testerman, George M.
A1  - Harris, Robert M.
A1  - West, Michael
A1  - Easparam, Sarah
SP  - 716
EP  - 719
VL  - 77
IS  - 6
N2  - We hypothesized that full-time orthopedic traumatologists would increase interfacility transfer patients with pelvic ring injuries at a trauma center seeking American College of Surgeons Level I verification. A trauma registry query identified 790 patients with pelvic ring injuries admitted to a trauma service over 10 years. The study groups included 173 patients 3 years before and 405 patients 3 years after recruitment of two full-time orthopedic traumatologists. Interfacility transfers of patients with pelvic ring injuries requiring operative procedures were increased over 230 per cent (P < 0.01) with full-time orthopedic traumatologists. Financial analysis showed enhanced hospital margin per patient and decreased direct costs (P < 0.01). Complications, mortality rates, and length of stay were decreased (P < 0.01). Full-time orthopedic traumatologists enhance pelvic ring injury patient interfacility transfers, operative procedures, outcomes, and financials at a Level I trauma center in a rural setting.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0003-1348
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -