Np. Haas et al., TRAUMA CENTER 2000 - HOW MANY AND WHICH T RAUMA CENTERS WILL EUROPE NEED IN THE YEAR 2000, Der Unfallchirurg, 100(11), 1997, pp. 852-858
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery,"Emergency Medicine & Critical Care",Orthopedics
The treatment of severely injured patients is a challenge for preclini
cal and clinical treatment concepts, causing financial aspects of incr
easing importance for the German health care system. A total of 32,500
polytraumatized patients (PTS III and IV) are managed in trauma cente
r levels I-IV in Germany. Trauma center levels I or II are by definiti
on capable of supporting the full range of treatment for the severely
injured. With the baseline calculation of 64,000 DM per patient and 10
4 polytrauma treated per year in the Berlin Virchow Clinic, 6.66 milli
on DM primary costs must be spent for treatment. The total annual cost
s of this center are nearly 24 million DM for emergency cases and 7 mi
llion DM fixed costs per year, for a trauma center level I. In Europe
the distribution of trauma center levels I or II is sufficient and can
be specified with 1 center per 1 million inhabitants. Nevertheless, t
he european air medical service could support more intensive use of th
ese central trauma institutions. This was shown by comparing the numbe
r of polytrauma patients and the number of trauma centers. Less then h
alf of these patients are treated in levels I or II trauma centers. Th
e financial pressure on the health system and the rising quality must
lead to better utilization of trauma centers. To meet this goal a annu
al treatment rate of 300-400 polytrauma patients should be aimed at. T
he claim of the American College of Surgeons that a trauma surgeon sho
uld treat 50 severely injured patients per year would then be possible
.