When to activate the trauma team

Trauma Activation Criteria Refinement

Observational Methodist Health System · NCT07490145

We will see if current trauma activation criteria correctly identify which patients need the trauma team among those treated at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment5000 (estimated)
SexAll
SponsorMethodist Health System Academic / other
Locations1 site (Dallas, Texas)
Trial IDNCT07490145 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational project reviews the hospital trauma registry to quantify over-triage and under-triage relative to existing trauma activation criteria. Investigators will analyze patients treated at Methodist Dallas Medical Center between November 24, 2023 and November 25, 2025 to compare actual resource use and patient needs against activation triggers. The criteria under study are based on injury patterns, physiological findings, and mechanism of injury, with special attention to known reduced sensitivity in older patients. The work builds on evidence that standardized triage assessment tools can outperform other approaches at single-center and national levels.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Trauma patients treated at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and included in the hospital's trauma registry between November 24, 2023 and November 25, 2025.

Not a fit: Patients treated outside Methodist Dallas or not captured in the trauma registry would not be affected by these results.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce missed critical injuries and better match trauma team activation to patient need, improving outcomes and conserving hospital resources.

How similar studies have performed: Previous single-center and national analyses have shown that standardized triage assessment tools can outperform other pre-hospital criteria, though pre-hospital criteria often miss injuries in older patients.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

Patient is included in the Methodist Dallas Medical Center trauma registry. Trauma patients who recieved care at Methodist Dallas Medical Center between November 24, 2023 and November 25, 2025.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patient does not meet registry inclusion criteria.

Where this trial is running

Dallas, Texas

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Trauma
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.