Potential predictors of hospital length of stay and hospital charges among patients with all-terrain vehicle injuries in rural Northeast Texas

 All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) have become popular for recreation use in recent years. Texas has had more ATV related fatalities than any other state in the nation, with rural Northeast Texas having even higher rates of injuries.

  The regional trauma registry was analyzed for all ATV related injuries between January 2011- October 2016. Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale and if they are seen at a Level I Trauma center are predictive for both hospital length of stay and charges.

 Length of Stay was predicted positively by Injury Severity Score, Emergency Department Respiration Rate and facility at which patient were treated and negatively by Glasgow Coma Scale. Hospital charges were predicted positively by age, Injury Severity Score, facility of treatment, means of transportation, and Emergency Department pulse and negatively by Glasgow Coma Scale.

 The study also found that vital signs can be useful in predicting length of stay and hospital charges.