RED CRITERIA
High Risk for Serious Injury
Injury Patterns
- Penetrating injuries to head, neck, torso, and proximal extremities
- Suspected spinal injury with new motor or sensory loss
- Chest wall instability, deformity, or suspected flail chest
- Suspected pelvic fracture
- Suspected fracture of two or more proximal long bones
- Crushed, degloved, mangled, or pulseless extremity
- Amputation proximal to wrist or an
- Active bleeding requiring a tourniquet or wound packing with continuous pressure
Mental Status & Vital Signs
All Patients
- Unable to follow commands (motor GCS <6)
- RR <10 pr >29 breaths/min
- Respiratory distress or need for respiratory support
- Room-air pulse oximetry <90%
- SBP <70 mm Hg + (2 x age in years)
Age 0-9 years
- SBP <70 mm Hg + (2 x age in years)
Age 10-64 years
- SBP <90 mm Hg or HR > SBP
Age ≥ 65 years
- SBP < 110 mmHg or HR > SBP
Patients meeting any one of the above RED criteria should be transported to the highest-
level trauma center available within the geographic constraints of the regional trauma
system.
YELLOW CRITERIA
Moderate Risk for Serious Injury
Mechanism of Injury
- High-risk auto crash
- Partial or complete ejection
- Significant intrusion (including roof)
- > 12 inches occupant site OR
- > 18 inches any site OR
- Need for extrication for entrapped patient
- Death in passenger compartment
- Child (age 0-9 years) unrestrained or in unsecured child safety seat
- Vehicle telemetry data consistent with severe injury
- Rider separated from transport vehicle with significant impact (e.g., motorcycle, ATV, horse, etc.)
- Pedestrian/bicycle rider thrown, run over, or with significant impact
- Fall from height >10 feet (all ages)
EMS Judgment
Consider risk factors, including:
- Low-level falls in young children (age ≤ 5 years) or older adults (age ≥ 65 years) with significant head impact
- Anticoagulant use
- Suspicion of child abuse
- Pregnancy > 20 weeks
- Burns in conjunction with trauma
- Children should be triaged preferentially to pediatric capable centers
If concerned, take to a trauma center
Patients meeting any one of the YELLOW CRITERIA WHO DO NOT MEET RED CRITERIA
should be preferentially transported to a trauma center, as available within the geographic
constraints of the regional trauma system (need not be the highest-level trauma center).
If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to [email protected]
