Impact of the SIGN head injury guidelines and NHS 4-hour emergency target on hospital admissions for head injury in Scotland: an interrupted times series.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Head injury is a common reason for emergency department (ED) attendance. Around 1% of patients have life-threatening injuries, while 80% of patients are discharged. National guidelines (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)) were introduced in Scotland with the aim of achieving early identification of those with acute intracranial lesions yet safely reducing hospital admissions.This study aims to assess the impact of these guidelines and any effect the national 4-hour ED performance target had on hospital admissions for head injury.

Setting

All Scottish hospitals between April 1998 and March 2016.

Participants

Patients admitted to hospital for head injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosed by CT imaging identified using administrative Sc

SUBMITTER: Marincowitz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6318526 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature