TRAUMA RESUSCITATION
How Trauma Leaders Are Transforming Trauma Quality Improvement
Learn how trauma leaders are advancing trauma quality improvement through video review, data-driven feedback, and team collaboration.
Nov 7, 2025
Surgical Safety Technologies
Trauma video review directly links process improvement to better patient outcomes. Hospitals can reduce delays in critical interventions such as airway management, transfusion, or surgical readiness by analyzing resuscitation flow, communication, and adherence to trauma protocols. The result is faster stabilization, fewer preventable complications, and more consistent, high-quality trauma care for every patient.
Trauma quality improvement (QI) is entering a new era. In the webinar How to Transform Trauma Improvement,¹ trauma leaders at Orlando Health, Penn Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, and Baylor College of Medicine shared how they use real-time video review insights to drive measurable gains in patient outcomes, teamwork, and efficiency. Their experiences reveal how data-driven feedback and transparent learning environments are reshaping what’s possible in trauma care.²
Panelists included Dr. Ryan Dumas (Baylor College of Medicine), Dr. Tracy Zito (Orlando Health), Kristen Chrieman (Penn Presbyterian Medical Center), and Dr. Michael Vella (University of Rochester Medical Center). Together, they described how objective, video-based review allows trauma program leaders to understand how and why care unfolds — not just what happened.
The Next Frontier in Trauma Quality Improvement
Traditional trauma quality improvement methods rely heavily on retrospective data like that in the electronic health record, trauma registries, and if available, simulation activities, but as Dr. Dumas explained, they often fall short of providing comprehensive insight. “We’re left to team recollection, incomplete information, and inaccurate timestamps,” he explained. “What’s missing are the intangibles — leadership performance, team dynamics, tempo, and technical and non-technical skills.”
Trauma video review³ bridges that gap. By providing an objective and contextual look at communication, timing, and decision-making, it uncovers the real drivers behind performance variation. Research confirms this advantage: hospitals using video review gain a richer understanding of workflow and identify actionable areas for improvement.
Lessons from the Webinar: Real-World Applications
University of Rochester Medical Center: Turning Insight into Action
At the University of Rochester Medical Center, Dr. Michael Vella shared how his team used video review to target delays in blood transfusion for hypotensive trauma patients. “Our median time from blood order to the patient getting blood was like four to five minutes, which is a long time,” he explained.
Through video analysis, his team identified three bottlenecks — delayed recognition of transfusion need, slow rapid infuser setup, and lack of readily available blood in the trauma bay. Focused education for residents and nurses and collaboration with the blood bank helped reduce transfusion times to one to two minutes. “When we went to the blood bank with our data, they said, ‘That’s hard to argue against,’ and we got approval for a blood fridge in the emergency department.”
Orlando Health: Building a Learning Culture Through Transparency
Trauma quality improvement thrives in clinical cultures⁴ that emphasize growth over blame - and position video review as educational tool to assess team performance in trauma resuscitation.⁵ For example, Dr. Tracy Zito described her hospital’s trauma video review journey as transformative — but not without challenges. “I had a very resistant culture,” she said. Early concerns centered around staff fears of being monitored. To address that, Zito’s team surveyed staff about their worries, published responses institution-wide, and implemented video review gradually.
A follow-up survey nine months later showed near-total acceptance: “I almost got no replies,” she said. “Nobody even felt the need to reply. I haven’t had one concern or complaint.”
Orlando Health conducts resident-led quarterly multidisciplinary conferences that include respiratory therapy and blood bank teams. “Our ER and trauma nurse leads also now have their own conference,” Zito explained. “They find videos and have their own performance improvement review on their processes.”
The results extend to tangible process changes: switching back to automatic blood pressure cuffs saved minutes off the primary survey, adopting temporal thermometers provided immediate temperature readings, and shifting mechanism-of-injury documentation to nurses improved accuracy.
Penn Medicine: Empowering Nursing and Strengthening Team Learning
Kristen Chreiman shared how video review empowered nurses and helped Penn Presbyterian tackle unique challenges like “no-notice” police drop-offs without prehospital care. Her team analyzed vascular access methods and discovered that intraosseous (IO) insertion was the fastest, most reliable option — regardless of who performed it.
“It really helped empower our nursing team,” said Chreiman. “It proved that nurses can be just as successful with insertion as some of the other team members.”
Video review also supported process improvement in time-to-blood delivery. During high staff turnover periods, footage helped teams visualize inefficiencies firsthand. “Sometimes people can be resistant to change,” she said. “Letting the teams watch the time it takes themselves helps them come to the conclusion that they might need to do something different.”
Bringing Trauma Quality Improvement to Your Institution
Trauma video review is a cornerstone of modern QI and performance improvement. As Vella emphasized, “It’s really important that if you use video review for PI, it has to be part of your PI plan and documented in your trauma program.” Research shows⁶ hospitals that adopt this approach gain an unparalleled view into clinical performance and workflow - allowing them to transform how trauma care is delivered.
To get started:
Secure leadership support and define goals
Gather baseline data
Apply structured review templates
Build feedback mechanisms into regular QI meetings
Expand and benchmark across shifts and departments
Leverage technology designed to provide full-scale insight into trauma resuscitations – like the market-favorite, Trauma Black Box®
To learn more about optimizing trauma video review, download our e-book, 5 Critical Best Practices for Starting a Trauma Video Review Program.⁷
Final Thoughts
Trauma quality improvement depends on seeing beyond data points to understand how care is delivered. The trauma leaders featured in How to Transform Trauma Improvement show how transparent learning environments, structured review, and team collaboration are redefining excellence in trauma care.
Access the full webinar recording now. Ready to discuss next steps for your institution's trauma video review program? Book a demo.
Trauma Quality Improvement FAQs
What is trauma quality improvement?
Trauma quality improvement (QI) is a structured, data-driven approach to improving trauma care outcomes. It involves continuous monitoring, evaluation, and enhancement of care processes using performance data, root-cause analysis, and multidisciplinary feedback. The goal is to identify system-level opportunities that make trauma care safer, faster, and more reliable for every patient.
How does video review support trauma QI?
Trauma video review transforms quality improvement by providing an objective, real-time view of how care is delivered during trauma resuscitations. It enables teams to assess both technical and non-technical performance, capturing details that written documentation often misses. By reviewing real-world footage, hospitals can analyze team dynamics, communication quality, leadership performance, tempo, tone (controlled vs. chaotic), time management, and processes of care. This comprehensive insight helps identify latent safety threats, refine clinical techniques and decision-making, and strengthen collaboration, efficiency, and consistency across the entire trauma team.
What are the benefits of trauma video review for QI programs?
Hospitals that integrate trauma video review into their QI programs report:
Faster identification of safety events and process gaps
Improved adherence to trauma protocols and checklists
More accurate and actionable feedback loops for staff education
Enhanced team performance through shared learning and system transparency
Overall, video-based QI helps create a learning health system where every trauma case drives measurable improvement.
Is trauma video review used for performance evaluation or education?
Modern trauma programs use video review for education and quality improvement — not for punitive evaluation. The focus is on learning, system optimization, and team development. Hospitals foster a transparent safety culture that encourages reflection, teamwork, and better patient outcomes by observing real cases in a de-identified, supportive environment.
How can hospitals get started with trauma quality improvement?
Hospitals should consider the following steps when launching a trauma quality improvement initiative.
Secure leadership and interdisciplinary support to ensure alignment with institutional goals
Define measurable objectives such as reducing resuscitation time or improving checklist compliance
Implement a structured trauma video review process that integrates with existing registry and performance improvement workflows
Review the 5 Critical Best Practices for Starting a Trauma Video Review Program to further explore how to implement a successful program
With the right foundation, trauma video review becomes a powerful engine for continuous quality improvement and patient safety innovation.
Does trauma video review improve patient outcomes?
Trauma video review directly links process improvement to better patient outcomes. Hospitals can reduce delays in critical interventions such as airway management, transfusion, or surgical readiness by analyzing resuscitation flow, communication, and adherence to trauma protocols. The result is faster stabilization, fewer preventable complications, and more consistent, high-quality trauma care for every patient.
What measurable outcomes improve with trauma video review?
Hospitals using structured trauma video review have demonstrated measurable gains, including:
Reduced time to airway control and time to first transfusion
Improved team communication and role clarity
Increased compliance with trauma checklists and activation criteria
Decreased variability in resuscitation processes
These improvements collectively enhance operational efficiency, patient safety, and trauma team readiness.
How is privacy protected in trauma video review?
Privacy is protected through a Privacy-by-Design framework. Videos may be de-identified before analysis using facial blurring, voice modulation, and strict access control. Recordings are encrypted, stored securely, and accessible only to authorized trauma quality personnel. The focus is always on process improvement and learning, not individual monitoring or disciplinary review, ensuring compliance with institutional and regulatory standards such as HIPAA.
What technology is required to support trauma video review?
Trauma video review systems typically include high-definition cameras, ambient microphones, and secure data capture servers integrated within the trauma bay. These tools work together to collect synchronized audiovisual and physiological data during resuscitations. Using automated de-identification and analytics software, hospitals can review key moments safely and efficiently. Integration with the trauma registry and electronic health record (EHR) further enhances the value of these insights.
How often should trauma teams review video data?
Best practice is to conduct regular multidisciplinary video reviews, such as weekly or monthly sessions. These meetings allow teams to examine representative cases, identify improvement opportunities, and celebrate effective practices. Additionally, immediate reviews may be triggered after sentinel events, complex cases, or performance outliers. Consistency builds engagement and ensures trauma video review becomes a routine part of continuous improvement rather than a reactive process.
What evidence supports the use of trauma video review in quality improvement?
Peer-reviewed studies and multicenter evaluations have shown that trauma video review enhances both clinical performance and safety culture. Programs report significant reductions in resuscitation time, communication breakdowns, and preventable adverse events. The data generated through video analytics provides objective evidence for accreditation, performance benchmarking, and research — supporting trauma systems that continuously learn and evolve.
Who should lead and participate in trauma video review sessions?
Successful trauma video review programs are led by trauma medical directors or quality improvement coordinators, supported by multidisciplinary teams that include trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, trauma nurses, respiratory therapists, and quality specialists. This collaborative approach ensures that diverse perspectives contribute to identifying system issues and co-designing solutions that improve both workflow and patient outcomes.
Recommended Reading
Surgical Safety Technologies. (2025). How to Transform Trauma Improvement [webinar]. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/events-webinars/how-to-transform-trauma-performance-improvement
Dumas, R. (2025, March 4). Redefining Trauma Care: Best Practices for Conducting Trauma Video Review [blog]. Surgical Safety Technologies. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/blog/redefining-trauma-care-best-practices-video-review
Dumas, R. (2024, July 18). Trauma Care Breakthrough: Enhancing Performance Improvement through Trauma Video Review [blog]. Surgical Safety Technologies. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/blog/trauma-care-breakthrough-enhancing-performance-improvement-through-trauma-video-review
Surgical Safety Technologies. (2025, July 30). Creating Psychological Safety in Healthcare to Drive Performance, Retention, and Resilience [blog]. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/blog/creating-psychological-safety-in-healthcare
Dumas, R. (2025, August 27). How Trauma Video Review Augments Team Performance Under Pressure [blog]. Surgical Safety Technologies. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/blog/team-performance-trauma-resuscitation
Dumas, R.P, Cook, C., Holena, D.N., et., al. (2022). Roll the Tape: Implementing and Harnessing the Power of Trauma Video Review. J Surg Educ;79(6):e248-e256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.08.010
Surgical Safety Technologies. (2025). 5 Critical Best Practices for Starting a Trauma Video Review Program [e-book]. https://www.surgicalsafety.com/resources/5-best-practices-trauma-video-review-program
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