Improving Trauma Care via Evidence-Based Medicine: Guidance, Guidelines, and Global Impact

Improving Trauma Care via Evidence-Based Medicine: Guidance, Guidelines, and Global Impact

Lisa M. Kodadek, MD, FACS                           

Elliott R. Haut MD, PhD, FACS, MAMSE

Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery (ERH)

Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine (ERH)

Department of Emergency Medicine (ERH)

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality (ERH)

Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

Department of Health Policy and Management (ERH)

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Division of General Surgery, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care (LMK)

Department of Surgery

Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

Corresponding author:

Elliott R. Haut, MD, PhD, FACS

Vice Chair of Quality, Safety & Service, Department of Surgery

Professor of Surgery, Anesthesiology / Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) and Emergency Medicine

Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Professor of Health Policy & Management

The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Core Faculty, The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, JHM

Sheikh Zayed 6107C

1800 Orleans St.

Baltimore, MD 21287

[email protected] (email)

@elliotthaut (Twitter)

Haut (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7075-771X) 

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Abstract

Worldwide, over 5 million people die each year from injury. Improvements in global trauma care can be achieved through clinical decisions driven by data, development of learning healthcare systems, and trauma system infrastructure equipped to provide the highest quality evidence based-care. Practice management guidelines remain one critical element to delivering evidence-based care at the trauma system level and globally. Trauma guidelines reduce inappropriate practice variation, lower healthcare costs, speed translation of research into practice, improve safety and quality, and reduce disparities. While challenges remain, particularly with respect to global access to guidelines and education, sustained efforts continue to improve trauma care services worldwide. Medical and surgical practice based on a sound scientific foundation facilitates high quality care and allows the best opportunity for meaningful patient-centered clinical outcomes. Evidence-based trauma care saves lives, and trauma guidelines remain one of the most effective ways to impact the care of injured patients worldwide.

Key words: Evidence-based medicine, guidelines, trauma, injury, GRADE methodology

Published online first*

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