Preclinical care and care in trauma room and intensive care unit. Dangerous interfaces?

Within the treatment algorithm for accident victims there is an additional risk potential beyond those associated with the complex treatment procedures in primary medical care, and it is inherent in the interfaces between the different treatment sectors. Besides the substantial loss of time and information, such factors as technical incompatibilities between items of equipment, differing treatment concepts and responsibilities and difficulties in transfer and positioning can put the patient at risk. The entire process involves multiple interfaces both between preclinical and clinical medical care and with-in the various treatment sectors, e.g. when a preclinical patient is transferred from ground medical staff to the air rescue team. The goal of an efficient treatment algorithm should be the reduction of multiple interfaces in order to optimize the various procedures. Future concepts directed at optimizing trauma management should therefore make some contribution to interface reduction.