What’s changing? 

Instead of manually uploading files, healthcare facilities will be able to submit data directly from their trauma registry software to the TQIP Data Center. This new process is designed to: 

• Improve data quality and timeliness  
• Reduce administrative workload   
• Streamline your workflow   

ESO is ready and here to help. 

We’ve been working closely with the ACS to prepare for this transition. Our team already has the technical requirements and is actively developing the necessary updates to support the new process in 2026. 

What does this mean for you? 

Here are answers to some common questions: 

• Which ESO products will support the new submission process? 

Only ESO Patient Registry will be updated to support the new TQIP submission process in 2026. Legacy patient registry products (CDM, DI, and Lancet by ESO) will not be updated to support this new process for 2026 submissions. 

• Can I still use my legacy registry for TQIP submissions in 2026? 

Yes. You will be able to continue submitting TQIP data using your current legacy product in 2026. We have confirmed with the ACS that the existing submission portal will remain available, so your current manual process will not change. The ACS is aware that we are not updating the legacy registry products. 

The ACS recently communicated that although the current manual process will continue to be an acceptable data submission method, they cannot guarantee that the option will be available beyond 2026. Please be assured ESO will continue collaborating closely with the ACS throughout this transition to ensure our legacy patient registry customers are represented in future decisions.  

• Do I need to do anything now? 

No immediate action is required. But if you’re interested in upgrading to ESO Patient Registry to take advantage of the new streamlined process, fill out this form and a member of our team will reach out to you. 

Stay in the loop 

We’ll keep you updated throughout the year with everything you need to know. Check your inbox for more details as we move closer to launch. 

The post Coming in 2026: A New, Easier Way to Submit TQIP Data appeared first on ESO.

As trauma teams push to improve survival, one intervention is gaining renewed attention: whole blood.

The U.S. military started using whole blood in World War I, but it fell out of favor with blood component availability. Military air evacuations revived whole blood use in the early 2000s, and by 2016, most civilian air medical services carried it. Since then, whole blood use has steadily grown, especially in high-volume and Level I trauma centers.

The 2024 ESO Trauma Index offers a detailed analysis of current trends and benchmarks in trauma care, setting a new standard for improvement and allowing healthcare professionals to get a closer look at the data, understand its impact, and explore best practices for enhancing patient outcomes. Pulling data from the world’s largest de-identified trauma registry data program, the Index’s insights reflect over 975,433 trauma patient records that took place between January 1 and December 31, 2023. One of the key metrics covered in the Trauma Index is whole blood usage.

Key Findings

The 2024 ESO Trauma Index, for the first time, looked at all patients who received blood/blood products. Some of the key findings include:

• Among the almost 70,000 trauma patients who received a blood transfusion, 5% received whole blood only, 87% received packed red blood cells (PRBCs), and 8% received both whole blood and PRBCs. 
  
• The median time to whole blood delivery among all patients who received whole blood was 13 minutes. That’s good news.  
• For patients who met the Early Blood Transfusion Needs Score (EBTNS), a score of greater than five and received whole blood, 98% received whole blood within four hours, the goal. 
• The median time to transfusion for trauma patients who received PRBCs was 12 hours. Considering that 87% of transfusion recipients receive PRBCs, 12 hours is concerning.
  
  

Are PRBCs Enough? 

PRBCs remain a mainstay of trauma care. They help stabilize patients and support volume replacement during hemorrhage. But PRBCs alone can lead to over-resuscitation, clotting problems, or metabolic disturbances. The 2024 ESO Trauma Index shows that more than 50% of trauma patients arrive hypocalcemic. 

The increase in EMS agencies and trauma centers administering whole blood is driven by military and civilian research showing that early whole blood transfusion can significantly improve outcomes for patients in hemorrhagic shock.

Key Recommendations from the 2024 ESO Trauma Index 

Hospital trauma centers looking to strengthen transfusion practices should consider these best practices: 

• Track and review all transfusions administered within three hours of injury. 
• Monitor calcium levels during transfusion and provide supplementation. 
• Implement or refine massive transfusion protocols.  
• Administer TXA early, ideally within three hours of injury. 
• Use point-of-care coagulation testing (e.g., TEG, ROTEM) to guide treatment. 
• Develop rapid-access systems for blood products, even in non-critical scenarios. 

Yet, for all its good, whole blood remains expensive and challenging to manage. For trauma centers committed to incorporating whole blood, hospitals and EMS partners should: 

• Set clear protocols for blood handling, transfusion, and storage. 
• Coordinate closely with trauma centers and blood banks to manage supply. 
• Support community blood drives to maintain availability. 
• Provide ongoing training to EMS professionals administering blood products. 
  
  

Whole blood isn’t new, but its return is evidence-backed and outcome-driven. For trauma centers committed to faster intervention and better survival, it may be one of the most powerful tools available.

Want more whole blood benchmarks and guidance? Download the full 2024 ESO Trauma Index for the complete picture. 

The post Why Whole Blood Is Gaining Ground in Trauma Care  appeared first on ESO.

1. Good data is the foundation 

Providing consistent, high-quality care isn’t a one-person job; it’s a system-wide effort. At Wave 2025, speakers emphasized the value of collecting accurate data, sharing benchmarks, building feedback loops, and supporting providers with the information and education they need to act.  

It’s been said that there are three kinds of falsehoods: a fib, a downright lie, and statistics. Dr. Remle Crowe and Ali Treichel from ESO want to ensure no one falls prey to the third one in session, Dogs and Data: A Cautionary Tail.  They shared how to gauge the quality of study results, what statistical jargon means, and the importance of staying curious about results.   

For fans of the show “Ted Lasso,”  TowerDIRECT’s Jason Drinkwater, Paramedic V – Quality Coordinator, led a familiar-sounding session: Be Curious, Not Furious: A Data-Driven Approach to Change. Before jumping to fix a perceived problem, it’s imperative to ask questions of the right people. Always include frontline workers for valuable insight and buy-in. Otherwise, you know what happens when you assume. 

2. Stay in step with change 

Trauma care is a lifelong profession for many. Presenters shared experiences, best practices, and evidence-based research to spotlight ways to stay in step with trends and technology.  

First responders – and indeed, all healthcare providers – must demonstrate their value to taxpayers, patients, employers, payers, city council, and more. In From Data to Impact: Proving the Value of the Services You Deliver, Matt Zavadsky, EMS/Mobile Healthcare Consultant at PWW Advisory Group, shared which types of data resonate with stakeholders and how to tailor information to satisfy each. The practical takeaway: “Value is based on who is writing the check.” 

Leveraging the ESO Patient Registry During an American College of Surgeons Site Survey, presented by Matthew Derkrikorian, Trauma Program Manager at Rady Children’s Hospital, offered a look at how Rady Children’s Hospital prepared for and completed the first ACS Site Survey using ESO’s updated registry.

Next, for trauma centers wondering how their performance compares nationally, ESO’s Dr. Tony Fernandez shared findings from the 2024 ESO Trauma Index in Benchmarking Care for Quality Improvement. Download the report for new insights and best practices. It’s a valuable tool to spark quality improvement conversations.  

In Sepsis Treatment: Good for the Patient and the Payor, Erik Axene, CEO and Founder of Axene Continuing Education, updated attendees on trends and evidence, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning solutions, trying to get ahead of this deadly issue.  

Building Resilience: The Power of Standardization in Navigating Change showed how CommonSpirit Mountain Region approached a trauma registry upgrade by centralizing and standardizing operations. Melissa Sorensen, RN Trauma Registry Manager, shared how the process built collaboration and positioned the team to adapt effectively.

3. Culture that supports improvement 

Many sessions acknowledged a hard truth: data alone isn’t enough. Change happens when organizations build a culture that embraces reflection, transparency, and learning. 

Brooke Burton, Quality Improvement Manager at Unified Fire Authority, led Mistake or Murder: What Can EMS and Hospitals Learn from the Vanderbilt Case? The in-depth examination showed how hospital culture contributes to patient and worker trust.  

Scott Bourn from ESO led a practical session, Strategies for Influencing Change Using Data, reminding us that how you use data and information matters. If statistics were enough, no one would smoke! Knowing how to influence without judgment is crucial for improving internal hospital culture and providing supportive patient care. 

A Call to Action: Amplifying the Roles of the Level III and Level IV Trauma Centers, led by Kelli Vaughn, Trauma Program Manager at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital, detailed how Georgia’s smaller trauma centers, long excluded from larger system initiatives, created a standing committee to shape care across all levels of trauma care. .

Finally, Michael Kaduce, Director at The Falck Health Institute, addressed the challenge of how to start a quality improvement project. Once your hospital team has data in hand and leadership on board, pick something low-cost and high-impact. He provided ideas, examples, and tools in Bringing Research to Frontline Providers: Supporting Your Quality Management Program. 

4. EMS-hospital collaboration improves outcomes 

Multiple sessions focused on the continuum of care. Hospitals that make real-time data accessible to EMS agencies and close the loop on outcomes see stronger relationships, better documentation, and improved patient care. 

In the session From the Roadside to the Bedside to the Hospital Boardroom, Jonathan Sague, Regional Chief Operating Officer, shared how University Hospitals (UH) are redefining EMS-hospital collaboration. By treating EMS as partners and sharing timely data and feedback, UH improved care transitions, documentation quality, and frontline morale. As a bonus, stronger EMS relationships can increase patient volume, which leads to financial gains and hospital growth. 

Next, Justin Nelson, EMS Liason at VHC Health, shared their experiences with ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE) in The Bridge to Better Patient Outcomes. Instead of three separate interfaces plus encrypted email to communicate with EMS agencies, VCH only uses HDE. Stronger EMS relationships translated into a 7% increase in volume, and 91% of patient records match – up from 18%.  

In A Healthcare Shift: How Virtual Nursing and Hospital at Home Programs Are Changing The Landscape of Patient Care, Lisa Meyer from ESO examined how virtual care is reshaping patient interaction models – and what that means for EMS and hospital alignment moving forward.

5. Challenge precedent 

In a conference centered on using data, multiple sessions tackled common beliefs and techniques that no longer serve trauma care.

In the popular Hot Topics in Trauma Care, experts Dr. Glen Tinkoff, System Chief, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at University Hospitals, Dr. Samir Fakhry, VP for Center for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at HCA, and ESO’s Dr. Brent Myers examined evidence on trending issues in trauma care. High points included:

• Delaying surgery to ‘tune up’ patients doesn’t help, as COPD won’t be cured in three days.
• Blame pickleball for the increase in geriatric falls.
• There is enough data to support whole blood use in trauma. But haven’t solved delivery or replenishment.
• Not all traumas require a full trauma activation.
• Prepare for increased pediatric behavioral health and pediatric gun violence.

Next, in Ketamine Therapy for the Wounded Helper, Dr. Alexandra Jabr, Educator at Emergency Resilience, shared research and personal experiences with Ketamine as part of a holistic approach to PTSD. She presented evidence and distinguished medical versus recreational use, while addressing its limited FDA approval and credibility.

Taking aim at hospital-wide issues like overcrowding, burnout, and boarding in It’s Everyone’s Problem: The Ongoing Challenge of Patient Flow and Capacity Constraints, Lisa Meyer from ESO shared tactics hospitals are deploying to reduce adverse events and improve patient movement.

Configuring Your Trauma Registry for Successful Reporting and Performance Improvement featured Lee Ann Wurster, Trauma and Burn Program Manager at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, who detailed how intentional registry setup and onboarding helped maintain real-time abstraction and continuous reporting.

Stay ahead of what’s trending in the industry. 

Our data experts at ESO compiled a few resources to help you keep up with a shifting industry while using aggregated data to ensure your organization stays at the top of its game. Check out the 2024 ESO Trauma Index to see where your organization stands against national benchmarks in important metrics. 

It’s not too early to start thinking about Wave 2026! 

Mark your calendars for April 7-10, 2026, to join us in Austin, TX, for four days of thought leadership, networking, and learning. If you’re interested in being the first to get the inside scoop on what data-driven advancements and technologies are trending industry-wide, mark your calendars and stay tuned to register.  

The post Wave 2025 Recap: Top 5 Topics in Hospital and Trauma Care appeared first on ESO.

Critical connections during emergencies 

ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE) is the critical connection between the field and the hospital, giving emergency department (ED) clinicians near real-time access to prehospital care information during time-sensitive emergencies.  

Just as your hospital evaluates and improves over time, ESO evolves its solutions to meet your changing needs. Read on to find the latest ESO HDE enhancements that provide hospitals with actionable insights into EMS activity and collaboration.  

What’s new: Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI)

Benefit: Automated patient match rates of over 90% in under two minutes 

Accurately matching patients with their prearrival care information is critical to patient safety, community health, and hospital business success. Poor patient-matching capabilities are both inefficient and costly. Repeated medical care because of duplicate records costs over $1,700 per ED visit, while denied claims from patient misidentification cost the average hospital $2.5 million.  

ESO HDE now includes automated matching of hospital records to EMS encounters, thanks to Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI). This technology: 

• Eliminates the need for paper runsheets 

• Eliminates the need for wristband scans 

• Greatly reduces time spent on manual searches 

• Reduces care wait times while reconciling missing EMS records  

Hundreds of hospitals now enjoy match rates of over 90%, which automatically occur in less than 120 seconds. 

What’s new: EMPI matching for all responding units

Benefit: Shared patient outcomes and improved billing 

In addition to patient identification, ESO HDE EMPI matching allows all units and agencies responding to an incident to qualify for an EMPI match.  Without this enhancement, only the transporting EMS unit links to the patient, risking the loss of other agencies’ critical contributions because of unmatched records.  

With the ESO HDE EMPI match: 

• All responding agencies receive patient outcome information.  

• All responding units can learn, update training if needed, and ultimately improve patient care.  

• All services provided can be documented and billed, reducing missed revenue. 

• All responding units automatically process through the ESO EMPI system, which is particularly crucial for high-utilization regions. 

• Hospitals save time by no longer having to manually share outcomes with multiple responding agencies.
   

EMPI matching for responding agencies closes a critical gap in EMS data systems – ensuring every touchpoint during a response is captured, linked, and actionable.    

What’s new: Integrated with ESO Insights  

Benefit: Operational and clinical information in easy-to-understand reports 

ESO HDE now includes ESO Insights, an integrated reporting platform that offers clear, easy-to-understand reports and visuals. Hospital leaders can embrace their data while using it to identify areas for performance improvement. ESO Insights is built with users in mind, offering point-and-click functions.  

With all the data integrated into a single data platform, pre-built dashboards for both operational and clinical views are available. For example, operational dashboards include: 

• EMS transport summary – View EMS transport data in different ways – including the top transporting agencies, reason for transport, and why patients are choosing your facility, etc. 

• Ambulance Patient Offload Time (APOT) by facility and EMS agency – Previously accessible only through research, this data is now available at your fingertips. 

Existing clinical dashboards include specific measures for stroke and STEMI. This offers a deep dive into understanding progress toward meeting standards

What’s new: ESO Suite enhancements 

Benefit: Improved experience
 

You asked, and we answered! Three fresh enhancements to the ESO Suite include

1. A federated single sign-on (SSO) – Enjoy a single password for all ESO applications. Plus, your designated IT administrators can create and disable users centrally and easily. 

1. Submit direct product feedback – When you share feedback in the suite, the product team triages it and keeps you informed about progress.    

1. Data Exporter tool – The ESO Data Exporter tool allows users to manage and export large amounts of data, simplifying data management. You can build, schedule, download, and email data exports directly.  

Request a demo to see how ESO HDE can help your hospital enhance patient outcomes, streamline operations, and support performance initiatives throughout the emergency services journey.
 

The post Close the Gaps: Smarter EMS Information for Hospitals appeared first on ESO.

For example, the bakery needs food safety permits. The research lab needs special ventilation for hazardous materials. The kickboxing studio needs extra soundproofing to avoid disturbing the yoga studio below. And the doctor’s office on the ground floor must follow strict medical facility guidelines. 

This building can be completed only by knowing the requirements and following a specific order during construction. It starts with a strong foundation, then gradually adds each floor; the top floor can’t open before the first floor is built. Success depends on the architect’s master knowledge, collaboration from outside agencies, and a healthy dose of patience. 

This metaphor perfectly explains how patient registry compliance works and why it’s worth waiting to get the details just right.

“At ESO, we are partnering with our hospitals and regulatory organizations to ensure that we are improving community health and safety through the power of data. As your vendor, we are working diligently with regulatory organizations to which you must submit your data. These organizations can update their data annually. We are collectively working together to ensure that hospitals can accurately collect data on time to allow for successful submissions of trauma records. Compliance is a team effort internally and externally to ensure the data to be collected is the correct data being sent. We are all essential key players in data quality and integrity.”

– Julie Hollan, MSN, RN, Product Manager – Registry Compliance, ESO  

Laying the foundation: National standards first 

Annual compliance includes coding updates from national, state, regional, and other entities that together, create the annual compliance customization updates. 

Before your trauma registry software can be updated with the annual trauma standards, ESO must receive the foundational data standards from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) first. This toolkit includes:  

• Technical Specifications – A document that outlines the requirements for your software to work as expected. As your vendor, ESO is responsible for ensuring your software can to accurately, efficiently, and seamlessly collect and submit trauma records. 

• The Software Development Kit (SDK) – The technical toolkit for software developers to begin coding updates. 

• The Data Dictionary – This is the guiding documentation hospitals use to abstract trauma records. It details every data point your registry must collect, the values each field can hold, and how data must be formatted. The ACS provides the National Trauma Data Standard 2025 Data Dictionary. 

The ACS typically releases these essential components mid-year, setting off the national compliance update process. Without these files, the process cannot begin, delaying foundation construction.

Creating the structure: State and regional steps 

Once the ACS national requirements are in place, state and regional trauma systems release their own data dictionaries with specific requirements. These vary widely and can include new data elements, menu values, validation rules, and additional information for data abstraction. Most notably, data dictionaries detail the formats in which the data must be reported to your state or regional regulatory organizations.

ESO partners with each state and region to identify their changes and conduct a compliance review. Importantly, ESO cannot proceed with registry updates until each state, regional trauma system, or state trauma vendor formally approves their annual compliance update requirements. 

Finishing each floor: Customization 

With national, state, and regional compliance updates available, ESO develops specific updates based on compliance needs. Whether your trauma center is accredited, designated, and/or verified, your data submission must meet the requirements of the entities your facility is accountable to, like the ACS, American Burn Association, the state, region, and/or other regulatory organizations. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is also involved in registry compliance software updates. CMS releases new ICD-10 coding sets (PCS & CM) twice a year. ESO ensures that these coding updates are added to your registry product.  

Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) is connected with registry compliance software updates too. AIS2015 was released on January 1, 2025, as the coding standard starting with 2025 admissions for the National Trauma Data Standard (NTDS) and Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP). 

Grand opening: Deployment

Once these updates are reviewed, revised, and ready, ESO deploys updates to each product with the capability for data collection and submissions. ESO Patient Registry is deployed into production, and hospital administrator users can configure their system accordingly. The ability to self-serve with a few clicks reduces downtime. Facilities may still need to handle some installation steps for legacy products such as ESO-DI, ESO-Lancet, and ESO-CDM. If you need assistance with these installs, reserve a time with ESO Support using the support scheduling link provided in your deployment email.

A key takeaway for those on the registry compliance journey is that each step depends on the one before it. Each building phase requires attention to detail, analysis, and collective approval of changes. If updates are delayed in one area, all areas risk delay. As your vendor, we partner with regulatory organizations to ensure data quality and integrity. Collectively, we can improve community health and safety through the power of data.

Why compliance matters

The annual compliance update process is critical to ensuring your facility’s data submissions meet standards established by national, state, and regional regulatory organizations. While the process includes many dependencies, every step is essential to ensuring your facility can submit the highest quality trauma data possible.

Trauma program leaders can focus on benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives with confidence while hospitals address accreditation and verification initiatives, all while collectively improving trauma care. 

Visualize the compliance process

Here’s a simplified look at the full compliance lifecycle for facilities in states where ESO is the state vendor.

The following table outlines each step in more detail: 

*Estimated timelines are subject to change. ESO commits to providing transparent and timely updates to our state, regional, and facility partners as timelines evolve.  

Less hassle for you

Keeping your trauma registry compliant means keeping up with changes across national, state, and regional standards — a process ESO manages with you. Whether you use a legacy registry product or already upgraded to ESO Patient Registry, ESO collaborates with partners to offer technical assistance and resources to ensure your registry stays in lockstep with evolving standards.  

Every trauma registry vendor shares this responsibility, but ESO reduces the burden with ESO Patient Registry by applying updates automatically and keeping your registry up to date with minimal effort.  

That means your hospital only has one requirement: Activate your compliance updates with the click of a button once your national, state, and regional updates are available. 

Ready to upgrade?

Are ready to move away from manual updates? Visit the ESO Patient Registry page and fill out the Start My Upgrade form today.
 

The post Understanding Trauma Registry Annual Compliance Updates appeared first on ESO.

Despite its benefits, many customers are hesitant to make the switch from their legacy ESO registry to this upgraded version, waiting instead for an event like a product end-of-life announcement. While ESO plans on announcing end-of-life dates for our legacy products over the next few years (with 12–18 months’ notice, of course), there’s no need to delay your upgrade. In fact, there are multiple reasons why you should make the switch today. Here are the top five reasons to upgrade to ESO Patient Registry:  

1. Future-proofing your registry 

Get ahead of any and all industry changes by establishing a foundation that promotes both future development and innovation. Even in its short life, ESO Patient Registry has gone through updates and iterations to ensure your team has the best possible product, setting the tone for the years to come.

2. Automating your data exchange

ESO Patient Registry now connects hospital data through FHIR for both EPIC and Cerner Millennium Electronic Health Records (EHRs), along with data from EMS partners through the ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE). This not only ensures a smoother transition of patient care but also that no data gets lost in the process, while creating some workflow efficiencies with data collection. Additionally, it automatically deploys updates for everything from bi-annual ICD-10 codes to helping maintain compliance without the unnecessary workload or downtime.

3. Controlling your transition timeline 

Transitioning to a new product isn’t without its growing pains, which is why it’s best to do so when you’re not in a time crunch. To ensure that all departments within your organization have time to get a new product approved and to account for any unexpected competing priorities that may slow down onboarding, it’s best to build in some additional time.

4. Building the registry your organization needs

By starting the upgrade process before it becomes a necessity, your team will feel less pressure and can focus instead on configuring the Patient Registry to your organization’s exact needs, which can be a time-consuming yet incredibly beneficial undertaking.   

If you’re worried about feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to know that the ESO team has developed a self-paced onboarding process to empower your team to build the registry that works best for your needs. You will also be supported by an ESO onboarding specialist, who will be with you every step of the way to guide your team through the onboarding process.  

5. Giving your team time to train 

ESO Patient Registry is an incredibly powerful tool with a ton of intuitive features designed to make your team’s job easier, and training is key to making the most of them. Although intimidating, training and education on the product will lead to a successful launch and allow your team to feel more confident in adopting ESO Patient Registry organization-wide. From advice to site visits to questions, our subject matter experts will work with you to devise an onboarding process that works best for your needs and timeline.  

Don’t delay – start your upgrade today 

Interested in seeing the benefits of ESO Patient Registry firsthand?  

By requesting a demo, you’ll learn how transformative upgrading your data collection and processing capabilities can be for your organization.  

You can also get any questions answered by an ESO account representative by submitting this form to let us know you are ready to start talking about your upgrade.

The post Five Reasons to Start Your ESO Patient Registry Upgrade appeared first on ESO.

The findings may surprise you.  

The Leading Causes of Trauma – And Who Is Most at Risk 

Data from the ESO Data Collaborative, which includes nearly 1 million anonymized patient records, show that the top three causes of trauma injuries are consistent across all age groups: 

1. Falls 
2. Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs) 
3. Struck by/against  

The number one reason a person receives trauma care is from a fall, accounting for 52% of all injuries.  However, following the top three leading causes of injury, age-related differences emerge: 

• As a cause of trauma injury, firearms ranked fifth for pediatric patients (ages 1-18), fourth for adults (19-64 years), and tenth for older adults (65 and older)
• Interpersonal violence was 115 times more likely to be reported in pediatric patients compared to older adults, with 3% of children under 18 reporting interpersonal violence, compared to less than 1% of adults or older adults

These findings reinforce what many trauma professionals already know: Violence disproportionately affects children, and firearm-related injuries continue as a major public health crisis.  

Firearm Injuries: A Rising Concern in Trauma Centers 

According to the CDC, firearms are the leading cause of death for youth ages 1-17 years for the third year in a row. Between 2019 and 2020, firearm homicides and nonfatal firearm-related trauma increased by approximately 35–37%, marking one of the most significant spikes in recent history.  

Even more people suffer nonfatal firearm-related injuries than die, with effects reverberating across families, neighborhoods, and communities. The impact is staggering: 

• More than 40,000 people experience traumatic firearm-related injuries each year
• Youth exposed to gun violence are at higher risk of becoming victims themselves
• Firearm-related injuries and fatalities cost an estimated $410 billion annually in medical care, lost work, and quality of life losses

Firearm Injury Prevention: Recommendations for Trauma Centers 

• Hospital systems and trauma centers looking to reduce firearm-related injuries can follow these best practices: 
• Screen early – Identify risk factors for firearm-related injuries in trauma patients 
• Provide mental health support for firearm -injury victims and their families 
• Participate in the CDC’s National Syndromic Surveillance Program to track trends in gun violence by geographic area 
• Promote firearm safety – Offer free gun locks and safety resources, especially for families with children 
• Improve access to firearm injury prevention programs, particularly in under-resourced communities 
• Ensure your trauma centers follow updated trauma-informed prevention and intervention protocols to address violence effectively 

Interpersonal Violence: A Critical but Overlooked Factor in Trauma Care 

For the first time, the 2024 ESO Trauma Index also examined interpersonal violence as a mechanism of injury. Interpersonal violence – including physical, sexual, and psychological aggression – has long-term effects on victims. Interpersonal violence was 115 times more likely to be reported in pediatric patients compared to older adults, with 3% of children under 18 reporting interpersonal violence, compared to less than 1% of adults or older adults.  

It increases risks for: 

• Chronic health issues 
• Mental health disorders 
• Repeat injuries and hospital visits 

Thanks to leadership from The American College of Surgeons (ACS), all Level I trauma centers now screen for interpersonal violence, abuse, and mental health disorders. This ensures that patients receive comprehensive care beyond their physical injuries. 

Interpersonal Violence: Recommendations for Trauma Centers

• Use standardized screening protocols for all patients
• Train staff in how to recognize and document signs of abuse
• Ensure privacy and support for patients disclosing abuse
• Provide referrals to social services while using non-triggering language (e.g., labeling resources as “women’s health” or “social services” rather than “domestic violence”)

Data Drives Action 

Understanding the mechanisms of injury in U.S. populations is more than an exercise in data analysis; it’s about turning data insights into action that improves patient care and community safety. With falls, MVCs, firearms, and violence shaping trauma cases nationwide, hospitals and EMS providers must adapt protocols to better identify, treat, and prevent these injuries. 

Want to see how your trauma center compares? 

Download the 2024 ESO Trauma Index today to find trends, benchmarks, and best practices for improving trauma care in your community. 

The post A Closer Look at Trauma: What Mechanism of Injury Reveals appeared first on ESO.

Delays from communication breakdowns, logistical issues, or procedural bottlenecks can make the difference between life and death. Specifically, traumatic brain injury, complex orthopedic injuries, and hemodynamic instability issues like hemorrhage all require rapid, specialized surgical intervention at higher-level trauma centers.

Key Findings: How Fast Are Trauma Patients Moving? 

In this first exploration of time to transfer data, ESO considered time to transfer for emergency department patients, time to transfer for inpatient patients, and if trauma center level mattered. Data from the ESO Data Collaborative, which includes nearly 1 million anonymized patient records, show: 

Emergency Department Transfers 

• The median time to transfer was 78 minutes (Range: 63–84 minutes) 
• Time to transfer varied by trauma center level but not significantly  

Inpatient Transfers 

• The median time to transfer was 141 minutes, nearly 2.5 hours (Range: 132–152 minutes)  
• There was no clear trend between trauma center levels and inpatient transfer time  

These findings challenge the assumption that higher trauma center levels always transfer patients more quickly. They also show that the proverbial ‘golden hour’ is rarely met, especially with inpatient transfers. There is room for improvement. 

A Successful Reduction in Time to Transfer

The Oregon Health and Science University conducted a three-year quality improvement project on patient transfers. Measurable improvements include:  

• Decreased the number of transfers that arrived with incomplete (or missing) medical records from more than 17% to just over 1%  
• Decreased arrival-to-procedure time for patients being transferred for a procedure from 51 hours to 35 hours  
• Decreased unnecessary transfers from 15% to 3%  
• Increased case mix index by one-third, corresponding to about a 60% jump in reimbursement 
  

How Can Trauma Centers Reduce Transfer Delays? 

Trauma leaders, including the American College of Surgeons (ACS), emphasize the importance of rapid – and accurate – injury identification, established transfer protocols, and seamless communication between referring and receiving facilities. 

Best practices for improving time to transfer include: 

• Quickly identify trauma patients requiring transfer – ideally within 30 minutes of arrival 
• Establish clear criteria for transfer, prioritizing patients needing specialized surgical care 
• Create predefined agreements with higher-level trauma centers to streamline transfers 
• Facilitate direct physician-to-physician communication for quicker acceptance 
• Appoint a dedicated transfer coordinator to reduce logistical delays
• Focus on stabilization without unnecessary imaging or procedures that slow down the process 
• Set and track a decision to transfer time as part of your trauma performance improvement program
• Regularly review transfer times with staff and provide feedback on identified delays 
• Ensure compliance with state and regional trauma guidelines, some of which mandate specific transfer timeframes  

The Bottom Line: Faster is Better 

The data is clear: time to transfer can be improved, and hospital systems and trauma centers that optimize transfer times can improve patient survival and recovery. 

Want to see how your facility compares to national benchmarks?

Download the full 2024 ESO Trauma Index to learn how your trauma center could improve patient outcomes and community health. 

The post The Clock Is Ticking on Trauma Center Time to Transfer  appeared first on ESO.

In the busy world of trauma care, how do you measure how well you’re doing? The ESO Trauma Index helps provide answers. Using de-identified data from 975,433 trauma patient records collected between January 1 and December 31, 2023, and focusing on nine key metrics, the new 2024 ESO Trauma Index offers an in-depth look at national trends in trauma care. Watch the video to get an inside look directly from one of the authors, Tony Fernandez, ESO’s Principal Research Scientist, who shares what’s new in 2024 and why the Index is a top tool for trauma centers and hospital systems.

What is the ESO Trauma Index?  

The ESO Trauma Index is an annual report designed to serve as a reference point for hospitals and trauma systems looking to assess their performance compared to other organizations across the U.S. and identify areas for improvement. Packed with actionable data and evidence-based benchmarks, the ESO Trauma Index helps you measure, compare, and improve patient care.

Why it Matters 

It’s hard to know how well you’re doing for your patients if you’re only looking at your own data. With the ESO Trauma Index, trauma facilities can prove what’s working and what needs improving. That’s good science and good healthcare. 

What’s New in 2024?  

This 2024 ESO Trauma Index introduces two new metrics: Time to Transfer and Mechanism of Injury. Along with fresh evidence and best practice recommendations, the new metrics expand how trauma centers can measure, compare, and improve patient care.  

Are you ready to evaluate and take your trauma system to the next level by comparing it to the latest national benchmarks and discovering valuable insights for improvement?
Access the 2024 ESO Trauma Index here.

The post ESO Trauma Index: Inside the 2024 Report appeared first on ESO.

It is with great pride that we’ve watched these organizations redefine what’s possible in first response throughout the year. From protecting the mental health and safety of first responders to providing care in underserved areas to empowering the next generation of nurses, the stories below highlight the incredible impact made by our community in 2024.

How Ute Pass’ MIH Program Centers Care Around the Patient 

Serving over 500 square miles in rural Colorado, Ute Pass Regional Health Service is using community paramedicine programs to improve healthcare access for underserved populations. By focusing on preventive care and data-driven insights, the agency is lowering costs and improving outcomes.

Read the blog or watch the video to get the full story. 

Addressing Violence in EMS 

Despite being driven by a desire to provide a service to their community, first responders are met with an increasing amount of violence in their day to day — a lot of which goes unreported due to its normalization in the field. Elizabeth Donnelly, PhD, MSW, MPH, NREMT, Associate Professor at the University of Windsor and Co-Principal Investigator of the Violence in Paramedicine Research Group, shares insights from years of research and frontline experiences, advocating for strategies like incorporating reporting tools and promoting a safer work environment for paramedics

For more information on the work Dr. Donnelly and the Violence in Paramedicine Research Group are doing and to learn how we can create safer working environments for EMS professionals, visit www.protectparamedics.com. 

Medavie’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare solution  

Based in Canada, Medavie Health Services uses Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) programs to deliver primary care and mental health support directly to patients, especially in rural areas. By using data to identify where care is needed most, they tailor their programs to address the unique needs of their communities.

Transforming Community Safety 

Trevor Wilson, Division Chief of Planning at the Indianapolis Fire Department understands that when it comes to community safety, a good offense is the best defense. In the past six months, he’s used his organizational insights to reduce emergency incidents in his at-risk neighborhood by an incredible 75%. 

Shaping the Future of Nursing 

Shawntay Harris, President and CEO of Eminent Healthcare Resources Consultants and the President of the Texas Emergency Nurses Association is passionate about shaping leaders in the field of nursing. Learn how she’s working with organizations to not only retain nurses but help them thrive in their careers.   

Why Cook Children’s Medical Center Chose ESO Patient Registry 

When it comes to providing the best trauma care, Cook Children’s Medical Center knows that having timely, reliable data is vital. ESO Patient Registry streamlined their collection process while reducing errors, improving the patient experience along the way.  

Children’s Hospital Colorado: Improving Care While Saving $40k

The Children’s Hospital Colorado team needed a faster way to exchange patient data, as their manual process often took two to three days. They implemented ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), reducing that process to just a few minutes. By using ESO HDE, the hospital strengthened relationships with EMS partners, improved patient care, and saved $40,000 annually.

Download the full case study

Looking Ahead 

Thank you for taking the time to reflect on 2024 with us. We are so incredibly proud of the accomplishments our ESO community has made in the last year and look forward to seeing how their work shapes the future of health and safety in the years to come.  

There’s a lot of other achievements and big ideas that happened at ESO in 2024. To read more on the product innovations and research that made us most proud, check out the blog posts below. 

Year in Review: ESO Research and Data That Shaped 2024 

Year in Review: Product Innovation and Progress from 2024

The post Year in Review: The Impact of the ESO Community in 2024 appeared first on ESO.