We performed a prospective study of 303 transferred patients 921.8%) to our emergency center from their initially visited hospitals for 6 months from July 1992 to December 1992. The results were as followed ; 1) One thousand three hundred eighty
eight
trauma patients were visited to the emergency center for 6 months. Among the transferred 303 patients, 99 cases were due to traffic accident, 72 cases were falling down injury, and 62 cases were blunt trauma injury. 2) In terms of injury severity
score,
patients who were directly admitted to our emergency center had a score of 2.51±5.39, while those who were transferred had score 4.53±6.24 The scores were statistically significant. The combined patient population had a injury severity score of
2.95±5.64. There was no statistical difference between the severely injured patient group (ISS>=16) and the less severely injured patient group (ISS<16). 3) Among the patients who were transferred to our emergency center, those who were
discharged
from
initially visited hospitals within 1 hour had ISS of 3.56±5.70, while those were discharged over 24 hours had ISS of 5.27±4.37. But there was no statissical difference between two groups. 4) Of the 303 patients who were transferred to our
emergency
center, 265 were from Seoul and Kyung-Gi Do and 38 were from various other regions. Among the transferred patients who were brought to emergency center after at least 24 hours of their accidents, 30 patients were elective transfer (patients'
need)
while
25 were not-elective transfer (further evaluation or proper treatment). Within this group, 3 were severely injured patients, of them two expired. 5) Severely injured patients (ISS>=16) occupied only 15 cases (4%) among 303 patients who were
transferrd
to the emergency center. Among them 10 patients expried at the emergency center. The causes of death were ilreversible shock in 4 cases, intracranial problem in 4 cases and hypoxia due to airway obstuction in 2 cases. In the cases of transferred
patients there were no interhospital communication before transfer. From the above information, we conclude that the tansferred patients to our emergency center had a higher ISS than of those who directly visited to the center. for effective
treatmetn
and higher survival rate, interhospital communication, presence of medical personel during transfer, performing of basic life support prior to transfer and strict limitations for transfer except critically-ill patients are important.
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