Italy is the first Western nation to experience the full impact of coronavirus disease. The pandemic is stretching the country’s ability to care for older adults and patients with serious underlying medical conditions. But how is COVID-19 affecting systems of care for trauma patients?

To find out, I asked trauma professionals in Italy how the pandemic is impacting injury care.

While healthcare providers across the country are working at full capacity, I was grateful to receive responses from three trauma specialists in Central Italy who are experiencing the impact of coronavirus.

They described a broad range of consequences for trauma systems, trauma protocols and trauma teams.

All three trauma professionals report that COVID-19 quarantines have reduced the volume of trauma patients throughout the system.

The trauma program at Ospedali Riuniti in Ancona treats nearly 1,200 major trauma patients per year.

But according to trauma medical director Dr. Mario Giusti, the volume of injured patients has fallen by half in recent weeks.

Read More