Quality Benchmarking in Trauma: from the NTDB to TQIP

Abstract

Purpose of Review: This review describes the evolution of quality improvement in trauma from the creation of the Committee on Trauma’s (COT) Optimal Hospital Resources for Care of the Injured Patient in 1976 to the National Trauma DataBank (NTDB) to the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP). Recent Findings: The national standardization of data collection for trauma patients through the National Trauma Data Standard (NTDS) and TQIP has allowed trauma centers to benchmark with their peers and focus quality improvement initiatives on areas of opportunity. TQIP provides enrolled hospitals with the data and educational resources they need to improve trauma care. Summary: This review describes the development of ACS TQIP and quality benchmarking in trauma. The ACS COT began its journey to improve the quality of trauma care by establishing standards for the optimal care of injured patients and verifying that centers had the necessary equipment, personnel, and processes in place. The standardization of data collection for seriously injured patients nationally now has allowed trauma centers to meaningfully measure patient outcomes. ACS TQIP has further advanced trauma care by providing participating centers with the resources they need to achieve quality improvement in trauma.