The impact of road safety strategy and policy on admissions to a national rehabilitation hospital; a 5-year retrospective review and reflection on trauma data

BMC Health Services Research, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09177-1 · Published: February 13, 2023

Simple Explanation

Road traffic collisions are a major cause of death and disability worldwide. This study examines the impact of road safety strategies on admissions to a rehabilitation facility in Ireland over five years. The study compares rehabilitation admissions data with major trauma audit data to understand the effectiveness of road safety policies. The research highlights a discrepancy between the number of severe brain injuries reported in trauma audits and the number of patients admitted to rehabilitation, suggesting potential gaps in access to specialist services.

Study Duration

5 years

Participants

165 patients discharged with transport accident-related injuries

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
There was variation in the numbers of RTC related injuries over the 5 years studied with the trendline indication a reduction.
2
Statistical analysis showed normal variation in admissions over the study period, indicating no significant impact from road safety strategies.
3
A significant discrepancy exists between the number of severe TBIs reported in MTA reports and the numbers admitted to the National Rehabilitation University Hospital.

Research Summary

This retrospective review examined admissions to a national rehabilitation hospital due to road traffic collisions over a five-year period, comparing this data with national trauma audit reports. The study found no special cause variation in admission numbers, suggesting road safety strategies did not significantly impact admissions during the study period. The research reveals a potential gap in access to specialist rehabilitation services, as indicated by the discrepancy between reported severe TBIs and rehabilitation admissions.

Practical Implications

Data Linkage Improvement

Establish data linkage between administrative and health datasets to comprehensively understand the trauma and rehabilitation ecosystem.

Rehabilitation Service Integration

Integrate rehabilitation services into the continuum of care to accelerate discharge planning, reduce disability, and lower the cost of care.

Knowledge Mobilization

Improve knowledge mobilization to enable research, care management, and performance improvement within the trauma system.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size may hinder generalization of findings.
2
Data was not collected for all years of the current RSA strategy.
3
MTA data has not got 100% coverage so not all RTC related serious injury will be recorded.

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