IN-HOUSE BOARD-CERTIFIED SURGEONS IMPROVE OUTCOME FOR SEVERELY INJURED PATIENTS - A COMPARISON OF 2 UNIVERSITY CENTERS

The benefit derived from in-house board-certified attending surgeons ( IHBCS) staffing trauma centers has recently been questioned. We compar ed the outcomes and provider-related complications of patients with se vere injuries who were treated at two university trauma centers, one w ith IHBCS, and one with PGY-4 or PGY-5 residents in house (RIH). The R IH center had a significantly longer resuscitation time (160 vs. 58.8 minutes; p < 0.01). Except in cases of vascular injury, the odds ratio of dying at the RIH institution was significantly greater in all grou ps when the variables of transport time, Revised Trauma Score, and ISS were controlled. Errors in judgment were significantly more likely to have been made at the RIH institution in all groups. It is concluded that the management and ultimate outcome are significantly improved wh en IHBCS are involved with the resuscitation and early care of specifi c cohorts of severely injured patients.