The challenges of conducting prehospital research: successes and lessons learnt from the Head Injury Transportation Straight to Neurosurgery (HITS-NS) trial

Emerg Med J. 2015 Aug;32(8):663-4. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2014-203870. Epub 2015 Jan 8.

Abstract

Head Injury Transportation Straight to Neurosurgery was a cluster randomised trial studying suspected severe head injury treatment pathways conducted in the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust between January 2012 and March 2013. This was the world's first large scale trial of any trauma bypass and was conducted as a feasibility study. This short report will describe some of the lessons learnt during this ground breaking and complex trial.

Keywords: emergency ambulance systems; pre-hospital; research, methods.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Craniocerebral Trauma*
  • Emergency Medical Services / organization & administration*
  • Emergency Medicine / education*
  • England
  • Humans
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / methods*
  • Research Design*
  • State Medicine