Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine

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Original Article
SJEMed. 2022; 3(1): 046-053

Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020

Authors: Nawfal Aljerian, Mohammed Arafat, Abdulrahman Aldhubaib, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Ali Alsultan, Abdulaziz Alhosaini, Lyla Ashry, Sawsan Alharthi, Ghadeer Al Elawi, Yasir Albarrak.

View PDF HTML Fulltext DOI: 10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894

Abstract

Background: The absence of experienced physicians in certain specialties and the lack of medical services necessitates the need for interfacility transfer of patients with traumatic injuries. This study aimed to identify the incidence of interfacility transfers in trauma patients within a 28-day period and to evaluate the types and reasons of traumatic injuries requiring lifesaving transfer. Methods: This was a retrospective noninterventional chart review study. Data were acquired from the Saudi Medical Appointments and Referrals Center in Saudi Arabia. Only lifesaving-labeled trauma patients were included in this study. Results: A total of 370 trauma patients were included in this study. Most of the patients were male (325; 87.8%) with a mean age of 31 years. Blunt injuries were the most reported type of injury (213; 57.6%) and motor vehicle accidents were most common mechanism of injury (164; 44.3%). Head and neck injuries accounted for majority of the cases (144; 38.9%). Lack of specialty was the most frequently reported main reason for transfer (244; 66%) with neurosurgery being the most lacking specialty (94; 25.4%). Riyadh and Mecca were the two provinces that reported most referral requests (29.5% and 15.7%, respectively). Conclusion: The recruitment and retention of qualified trauma care personnel, improving healthcare facilities, and purchasing medical equipment would minimize the need for interfacility transfer among trauma patients. Larger analytical studies are required to quantify and localize the deficit and the weakness of the system to ensure timely access to an initial healthcare facility and definitive treatment of trauma patients.

Keywords:   Keywords: Life Saving; Saudi Medical Appointments and Referrals Centre; Trauma; Morbidity; Mortality.


© Copyright: Author(s)

Open access Creative Commons License
Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020


Authors
Nawfal Aljerian
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ar Rimayah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Mohammed Arafat
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abdulrahman Aldhubaib
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Ibrahim Almohaimeed
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Ali Alsultan
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abdulaziz Alhosaini
Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Lyla Ashry
King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ar Rimayah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Sawsan Alharthi
Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Ghadeer Al Elawi
Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Yasir Albarrak

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Correspondence to:
. Ministry of Health, Medical Referrals Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.; lylaashry@gmail.com

Publication history
Received 07 Aug 2021
Accepted 13 Jan 2022
Published online 27 Feb 2022
Published in print 07 Mar 2022

How to cite this article

Pubmed Style

Aljerian N, Arafat M, Aldhubaib A, Almohaimeed I, Alsultan A, Alhosaini A, Ashry L, Alharthi S, Elawi GA, Albarrak Y. Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. SJEMed. 2022; 3(1): 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


Web Style

Aljerian N, Arafat M, Aldhubaib A, Almohaimeed I, Alsultan A, Alhosaini A, Ashry L, Alharthi S, Elawi GA, Albarrak Y. Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. https://www.sjemed.com/?mno=107623 [Access: February 08, 2023]. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Aljerian N, Arafat M, Aldhubaib A, Almohaimeed I, Alsultan A, Alhosaini A, Ashry L, Alharthi S, Elawi GA, Albarrak Y. Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. SJEMed. 2022; 3(1): 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Aljerian N, Arafat M, Aldhubaib A, Almohaimeed I, Alsultan A, Alhosaini A, Ashry L, Alharthi S, Elawi GA, Albarrak Y. Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. SJEMed. (2022), [cited February 08, 2023]; 3(1): 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


Harvard Style

Aljerian, N., Arafat, . M., Aldhubaib, . A., Almohaimeed, . I., Alsultan, . A., Alhosaini, . A., Ashry, . L., Alharthi, . S., Elawi, . G. A. & Albarrak, . Y. (2022) Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. SJEMed, 3 (1), 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


Turabian Style

Aljerian, Nawfal, Mohammed Arafat, Abdulrahman Aldhubaib, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Ali Alsultan, Abdulaziz Alhosaini, Lyla Ashry, Sawsan Alharthi, Ghadeer Al Elawi, and Yasir Albarrak. 2022. Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 3 (1), 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


Chicago Style

Aljerian, Nawfal, Mohammed Arafat, Abdulrahman Aldhubaib, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Ali Alsultan, Abdulaziz Alhosaini, Lyla Ashry, Sawsan Alharthi, Ghadeer Al Elawi, and Yasir Albarrak. "Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 3 (2022), 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Aljerian, Nawfal, Mohammed Arafat, Abdulrahman Aldhubaib, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Ali Alsultan, Abdulaziz Alhosaini, Lyla Ashry, Sawsan Alharthi, Ghadeer Al Elawi, and Yasir Albarrak. "Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020." Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine 3.1 (2022), 046-053. Print. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Aljerian, N., Arafat, . M., Aldhubaib, . A., Almohaimeed, . I., Alsultan, . A., Alhosaini, . A., Ashry, . L., Alharthi, . S., Elawi, . G. A. & Albarrak, . Y. (2022) Incidence and reasons of interfacility transfer among trauma patients in Saudi Arabia, 2020. Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine, 3 (1), 046-053. doi:10.24911/SJEMed/72-1628359894


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