Private vehicle transport is linked to a significantly lower likelihood of death compared with ground EMS transport for trauma patients, according to a study in JAMA Surgery.
Researchers studied data in the National Trauma Data Bank from Jan. 1, 2010, through Dec. 31, 2012. The bank comprises 298 level 1 and level 2 trauma centers. The researchers included 103,029 patients older than 16 years with a gunshot wound or stab wound in the study. Of study participants, 87.6 percent were primarily male, with a mean age of 32.3 years.
The study shows individuals with penetrating injuries transported by private vehicle were less likely to die than patients transported by ground EMS. The link remained statistically significant on stratified analysis of the gunshot wound and stab wound subgroups.
"System-level evidence such as this can be a valuable tool for those responsible for developing and implementing policies at the trauma system level," the study authors concluded.