Korean J Neurotrauma.  2014 Oct;10(2):92-100. 10.13004/kjnt.2014.10.2.92.

An Evaluation of the Government's Current Guideline on the Hospitalization of Minor Head Trauma Patients

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. nschan@gilhospital.com

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
In June 28, 2012, a 'Hospitalization guideline for car accident patients' was announced to mediate the clash of opinions about the hospitalization of minor head trauma patients among doctors, patients and insurance companies. The guideline was issued to describe the patients' symptoms and emotions in detail after the injury. In this paper, evaluation for the guideline and suggestions for modifications was done.
METHODS
Thirty-two doctors, 96 patients and 60 employees were each given surveys about the hospitalization guidelines, related personnels' attitude and evaluation of patients' emotional problems. The frequency, ratio and chi-square test were performed.
RESULTS
Sixty-eight point eight percent of doctors, 79.8% patients and 91.6% insurance company employees agreed to the need for a guideline. Among the 68.8% doctors that supported the need for a guideline, 18.8% knew that the guideline actually existed. Sixty-nine point two percent of doctors said that they would apply the guideline once they were introduced to it. Among the announced guideline provisions, 'Glasgow coma score less than 15' and 'socially not suitable for discharge' required reevaluation since 40.6% all surveyors consented that these two criteria were not suitable. The consensus supporting the need for emotional evaluation came out to be 78.1%, 58.5%, 50.9% in doctors, patients and insurance employees respectively.
CONCLUSION
Although a guideline for hospitalization of minor head injury patients is necessary, some part of it seems to be reevaluated and improved, especially for clauses related to the patient's emotional problems. These changes and revisions to the guideline require further speculation and research.

Keyword

Craniocerebral trauma; Patient admission; Guideline; Emotions

MeSH Terms

Coma
Consensus
Craniocerebral Trauma*
Hospitalization*
Humans
Insurance
Patient Admission

Figure

  • FIGURE 1 The reason why minor head trauma patients require hospitalization guideline.

  • FIGURE 2 The necessity of the minor head trauma patient's hospitalization guideline.

  • FIGURE 3 The proper reason for hospitalizing the currently hospitalized patients.

  • FIGURE 4 The reason for the minor head trauma patient's hospitalization.

  • FIGURE 5 The necessity of evaluating the subjective emotional problems in minor head trauma patients.

  • FIGURE 6 The appropriateness of the method in evaluating the subjective emotional problems regarding minor head trauma patients.


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