Abstract
The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma requires physician-to-physician communication prior to interhospital transfer. This requirement can be difficult to achieve in high-volume trauma centers. This pilot project utilizes trauma advanced practice providers (APPs) as the primary communicator, in lieu of the trauma surgeon, prior to interhospital transfer. The hypothesis suggests that APPs can provide safe recommendations and accurately triage patients for the highest level trauma alert. From January to April 2018, a total of 1,145 patients were transferred to a Level I or Level II trauma center. All interhospital trauma transfers were dispatched through a designated transfer center APP (TCAPP). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the frequency of core TCAPP recommendations, including reversal agents for anticoagulants, antibiotics for open fractures, direct admission criteria, administration of blood products, and triaging to the highest level of trauma activation. TCAPP triage accuracy was analyzed and reported as percentages. Percentages are compared between independent groups using a chi-square test. Prior to implementation of the TCAPP role, provider-to-provider communication occurred in less than 1% of interhospital transfers; TCAPP-to-provider communication occurred 92% of the time (p < .001). During the study period, the TCAPP made 398 care-related recommendations. Three (<1%) TCAPP recommendations were deemed inappropriate. The TCAPP (89.7%) and physician (89.9%) triage accuracy was not significantly different (p = .43). Interhospital transfer communication and recommendations can be performed safely and accurately by a trauma trained APP.