The provision of optimal Emergency Medical Services (EMS) care and timely transfer to advanced-level hospital care is vital to increase the likelihood of survival following major trauma. This study describes the characteristics of major trauma cases attended by EMS in New Zealand (NZ) including the distribution of prehospital times.
Methods: An analysis of routinely collected data from a retrospectively designed prospective cohort study was undertaken. Individuals of any age who suffered major trauma (Injury Severity Score [ISS] greater than 12) between 2016 and 2018 and were attended by an EMS provider were included. Descriptive analyses were performed.
Results: A total of 3,334 patients met the eligibility criteria, of which 105 (3.1%) died prehospital and 111 (3.4%) died 24 hours following injury. The majority of patients were male (69.5%), and Māori (NZ’s indigenous population) accounted for 21.6% of cases. Motor vehicle crashes accounted for approximately half of the major trauma cases (45.9 %), followed by falls (25.7%). The median ISS was 17 (IQR: 14 – 25). Median total prehospital time was 74.6 minutes (IQR: 50.6–104.8). Patients who did not survive for more than 24 hours following injury had significantly faster response and transport times (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This study is the first to describe the demographics, injury characteristics and distribution of prehospital times for patients experiencing major trauma in NZ. It provides a valuable baseline regarding the timeliness of EMS care, and highlights sex and ethnic differences in the populations experiencing major trauma in NZ.