Trauma System Evaluation & Planning
When EMS agencies or regional/state governing bodies need to evaluate and plan for the future of the trauma system, Diligent Consulting can help. Our assessment will evaluate current trauma capacity and project the future needs of the trauma system. We facilitate a collaborative process with stakeholders at all levels to ensure engagement and opportunities for input. Our process can strengthen healthy trauma systems and provide actionable recommendations for systems that struggle due to trauma center closures or population growth.
Who Is This Service For?
Every state has a different governance structure for trauma center planning and designation, but generally this falls to local EMS agencies or a state or regional trauma council. This service is also available for large health systems evaluating trauma center designation levels and transfer patterns between hospitals in their system.
What Is Included in Trauma Center Feasibility Assessment Consulting Services?
Consulting services for trauma system evaluation and planning are focused on evaluating the strength of the current trauma system and trauma centers, examining future population trends that will impact trauma capacity needs, understanding the impact of traffic and transport times on patient outcomes, and establishing whether changes are needed to improve the system (typically by adding a new trauma center). These services typically include:
Trauma Service Area Analysis
A trauma system analysis will start with a robust analysis of the current trauma service area (TSA). Using trauma registry data, EMS data, and other data sources, we will provide a geographic picture of where injury is occurring and where patients are receiving trauma care. Focus will be on detecting unplanned patterns, such as long transport times, transports out of TSA, secondary triage, and hospital capacity issues. This will allow an analysis of the current system and whether it is efficiently and safely caring for injured patients.
Trauma Center Efficacy
Each trauma center will be engaged for a confidential analysis of its strengths and challenges. The goal is to utilize a neutral third party to collect and advise on issues that trauma centers may not feel they can share publicly. Confidential reports and analyses are provided to each hospital with opportunities for improvement in market share and financial optimization.
Population Analysis
Past, present, and future population trends will be considered to forecast the impact on future trauma transport and admissions. This will allow for an estimate of whether the existing trauma system can handle increases and potentially identify gaps in the system where a new trauma center could potentially be located.
Traffic and Triage
Injured patients are not transported in a straight line between injury location and hospital. Their transport is impacted by time of day, traffic patterns, triage policies, availability of ground and air EMS, and other conditions. Analysis will determine if any of these factors identify additional gaps in the system or require revisions to field triage and transport policies.
Stakeholder Support
Trauma system assessments are focused on the strength and stability of the trauma system. However, each hospital and health system will have differing ideas of what that may look like. Our consulting process seeks to engage stakeholders early to ensure their questions are answered and concerns are addressed. This often includes hospital and trauma center leadership, local EMS agencies, trauma system leadership, and political and community representatives. We cannot guarantee that all parties will be happy with the final recommendations, but we can take steps to ensure they are involved and informed along the way.
Recommendations
We present several recommendations to trauma system leadership, including the need for a new trauma center and a recommended timeline and process by which to add a trauma center to the system. We can assist in presenting findings to stakeholders and facilitating feedback and discussion on different options.
Our Trauma Consulting Process
Understanding the typical steps involved in trauma system evaluation clarifies how consulting services add value:
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Assess your trauma service area to geographically assess and quantify injury locations, EMS transports, and trauma center patient volumes.
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Work with trauma centers to analyze current trauma program, invite feedback on system changes, and understand their trauma challenges. This includes assessment of each trauma center's financial performance to estimate costs, revenue, and financial sustainability.
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Analyze population, traffic, and transport data to uncover gaps in the current system and predict future need.
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Engage stakeholders and solicit feedback to minimize pushback from trauma centers, EMS agencies, state or regional governing bodies, politicians, and the community.
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Present findings on current trauma system and make recommendations to strengthen the system for the future. Suggest different scenarios and timelines if trauma system gaps require the addition of a new trauma center.
What Are Some of the Greatest Challenges in Trauma System Assessments?
Trauma system assessments are aimed at ensuring the strength of the trauma system for the future, but it can often become contentious and political. Some of the most common challenges include:
Access to Data
It requires a delicate balance to utilize data on current trauma patients and trauma center performance without sharing information that undermines any particular trauma center. We utilize a variety of datasets and methodologies to provide a best estimates of current and future trauma volumes and work to ensure any data that are shared publicly are vetted, appropriate, and reported in a manner that maximizes patient and hospital confidentiality.
Future Estimates
It is impossible to predict the future, but we will utilize a variety of data sources to project likely scenarios for population change and trauma system gaps.
Hospital Push-Back
Current trauma centers are not always in favor of these assessments, especially if they perceive that their market position is threatened. Working with a consultant, rather than a trauma system representative, facilitates neutrality and confidentiality so hospitals feel comfortable participating.
Recommendations Can Get Political
Our data-driven approach allows for accurate assessments, but recommendations may not be viewed favorably if they threaten a hospital's market position or open the trauma system to a new competitor. Occasionally this process gets political and involves local officials or government representatives. Diligent Consulting is there to support your trauma system leaders by providing meticulous, replicable analyses and clear talking points. Our goal is always the strength of the system for the future of trauma care, not the market condition of any particular hospital.
How Can Diligent Consulting Help?
Organizations that invest in expert consulting will have an accurate understanding of their current trauma system, an estimate of demands on the future trauma system, and recommendations for ensuring a strong trauma system for the future.
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