Experts are concerned with how traumatic brain injuries are attended to in the U.S.
Approximately 5 million Americans are assessed annually for this condition in emergency departments, and a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine presented that there isn’t enough framework for classification, care and research on the issue.
“We as physicians are frustrated that there are significant limitations to what we can do for our patients for an injury that has real-life, debilitating consequences,” Dr. Frederick Korley, associate professor of emergency medicine at Michigan Medicine, told University of Michigan Health Lab. “There are many important, structural changes that need to be made to provide better care for patients who often go through a prolonged recovery process.”
Approximately 2% of all the country’s emergency department cases are traumatic brain injuries. According to University of Michigan, the current health care system, including long-term care options, is often inadequate.
At present, emergency physicians heavily utilize neuroimaging through CT scans to assess brain bleeding and decide if surgery will be required to treat patients.
Recently, blood tests have been used to assess if neuroimaging is required. The blood tests help minimize the number of unnecessary scans and help determine the severity of the injury.
