DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE A LGORITHMS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE IN TRAUMA CARE

Resuscitation and management of high-risk multiple trauma patients req uire a systematic and coordinated approach to diagnostic and therapeut ic interventions. Clinical algorithms with branch chain decision logic can provide a clear and organized transformation of clinical standard s for trauma care. Owing to their capability in formalization and stan dardization, algorithms define precisely the process of care and serve as a central interface within the system of quality assurance and qua lity control. The standardized document symbols and conventions for in formation processing according to ANSI/ISO/CCITT regulations are gener ally applied to the flowchart design of clinical algorithms. Special s tarting and ending point symbols make it possible to break down comple x processes in several single interrelated algorithms. Inclusion of op tional criteria checklists reduces the number of decision nodes and lo ops and minimizes the extent of a comprehensive algorithm. Clinical al gorithms are an excellent tool for converting highly complex concepts of multiple trauma management into a logical, prioritized and systemat ic process of care.