THE FAILURE OF TRIAGE CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY GERIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH TRAUMA - RESULTS FROM THE FLORIDA TRAUMA TRIAGE STUDY

Since 1990, Florida has used a uniform set of eight triage criteria, k nown as the trauma scorecard, for triaging adult patients with trauma to state-approved trauma centers. If any one of the eight criteria are met, paramedics classify the patient as a ''trauma alert'' and transp ort to a state-approved trauma center. Widespread concern within the t rauma care community that the scorecard was not providing an effective tool for adult trauma triage, particularly for older adults, was a mo tivating force for conducting an evaluation of the trauma scorecard's performance. Thus, the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Emergency Medical Services initiated a research e ffort to assess the effectiveness of the state-adopted trauma triage c riteria for adults, giving special attention to geriatric trauma. The results of the Florida Trauma Triage Study indicate that the eight tri age criteria comprising the trauma scorecard produce unacceptable leve ls of undertriage in elderly patients (age 55 years or older) with lif e-threatening injuries.