Trauma reception and resuscitation

The hospital reception phase of major trauma management requires a great number of expedient decisions. However, despite widely taught programmes advocating a standardized, algorithmic approach to decision-making, there is an ongoing rate of human errors contributing to adverse outcomes. It is now time for a fundamental change in our approach to trauma resuscitation. Point-of-care computer technology linked to real-time decision-making and trauma team coordination may achieve error reduction through standardized decision-making and a corresponding reduction in preventable mortality and morbidity.