RCH Trauma Database
Introduction
The RCH Trauma database was commenced in 1999 as part of the measures introduced in response to the Victorian State Government's 1999 Review of Trauma and Emergency Services (RoTES) report. Since July 2000 the database has aimed to capture all trauma admissions meeting database criteria - presently at a rate of approximately 2000 admissions per year, of which between 100 and 150 patients meet major trauma criteria (see below).
Information collected
Inclusion criteria for the database are:
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Blunt, penetrating or burn trauma
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Drowning, hanging or electrocution trauma
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Accidental ingestion or inhalation of medication, toxic substance or physical obstruction
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Envenomation
Data fields collected on trauma admissions include:
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Demographics, such as date of birth
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Comorbidities, including current medications
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Injury information, including a description of events and Department of Human Services' VEMD Injury Surveillance codes
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Transport and pre-hospital information, including types of transport, times of ambulance activity and scene observations
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Where applicable, referring hospital information, including times of arrival and discharge
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RCH arrival information, including hospital entry point, initial observations and procedures, and 'trauma call' documentation
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Operations performed under general anaesthesia, including times of operations
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Outcome information including Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) coding and Injury Severity Score (ISS)
Major trauma
Blunt, penetrating and burn trauma admissions are classified as major or non-major according to whether a patient meets one or more RoTES criteria for major trauma:
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ISS of greater than 15
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Intensive Care stay greater than 24 hours, including mechanical ventilation
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'Urgent' (within 24 hours) surgery for intracranial, intraabdominal or intrathoracic injury, or for fixation of pelvic or spinal fractures
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Death after injury
It is estimated that the RCH sees 80% of the pediatric major trauma load in the state of Victoria, either by direct admission or transfer from another hospital.
Further information
For more information on RCH Trauma Service data collection, research and the RCH trauma database, please contact:
Cameron Palmer,
B.Orth (Hons), DOBA, Grad Cert Clin Trials
RCH Trauma Service Data Manager
Ph: +61 3 9345 5091
cameron.palmer@rch.org.au