T. Orouji Jokarokar1, B. Joseph1, A. Hassan1, n. kulvatunyou1, E. Tran1, A. tang1, R. latifi1, d. J. Green1, l. Gries1, R. S. friese1, p. rhee1 1University Of Arizona,trauma/Surgery/Medicine,Tucson, AZ, USA
Introduction: Early referral to a verified burn center (VBC) is a critical factor in determining outcomes of a burn patient. However; variability exits in the presence of VBCs across states and the impact of VBCs on patient’s outcomes remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the association between VBC’s and burn related mortality across states in the United States (US).
Methods: Burn related mortality was abstracted over a one year (2013) period from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. VBCs were obtained from the American Burn Association burn center registry. Population and area of each state were recorded from the US census data. Level of trauma center was recorded from the American College of Surgeons. States were dichotomized as: VBC and No-VBC. Linear regression analysis was performed.
Results:A total of 44 states were included of which, 50% states had a VBC. The overall burn related mortality rate was 1.47±0.5/100,000. States with VBC had lower burn related mortality rate compared to No-VBC states (1.16±0.3 vs 1.78±0.5, p=<0.001). The presence of a VBC in a state reduces the mortality rate by 0.433 per 100,000 per year.
Conclusion:Presence of a VBC significantly reduces burn related mortality within a state. Factors associated with this discrepancy need further exploration, which may help define the actual need for a verified burn center in each state.
