Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center for Trauma Care
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
More than 41 million children, or 55 percent of all children in the United States, live more than 30 minutes away from a pediatric trauma center. The management of pediatric trauma requires medical expertise that is only available at Level I pediatric trauma centers, which are specialized pediatric referral hospitals located in large urban cities. Smaller hospitals lack pediatric trauma expertise and resources to properly care for these children. When a small hospital receives a child with trauma, the standard of care is to conduct a telephone consultation to a pediatric trauma specialist, err on the side of safety, and transfer the child to the regional Level I pediatric trauma center. A newer model of care, the Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center (VPTC), uses live video, or telemedicine, to bring the expertise of a Level I pediatric trauma center virtually to patients at any hospital emergency department. While the VPTC model is being used more frequently, the advantages and disadvantages of these two systems of care remain unknown, particularly with regard to parent/family-centered outcomes. The goal of this study is to optimize the patient and family experience and to minimize distress, healthcare utilization, and out-of-pocket costs following the injury of a child. The results of this project will help to optimize communication, confidence, and shared decision making between parents/families and clinical staff from both the transferring and receiving hospitals.
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for children under 18 with acute injuries needing a transfer consultation from smaller hospitals to UC Davis's specialized departments. It aims to improve the experience and outcomes for these young patients and their families.Inclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive either telephone consultation or Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center intervention
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for outcomes such as anxiety levels, out-of-pocket costs, and healthcare utilization
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of California, Davis
Lead Sponsor
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Collaborator