PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Madayag, Robert M
AU  - Sercy, Erica
AU  - Berg, Gina M
AU  - Banton, Kaysie L
AU  - Carrick, Matthew
AU  - Lieser, Mark
AU  - Tanner, Allen
AU  - Bar-Or, David
TI  - Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability of level 1 trauma centers to meet American College of Surgeons research requirements
AID  - 10.1136/tsaco-2021-000692
DP  - 2021 Feb 01
TA  - Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open
PG  - e000692
VI  - 6
IP  - 1
4099  - http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000692.short
4100  - http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000692.full
SO  - Trauma Surg Acute Care Open2021 Feb 01; 6
AB  - Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had major effects on hospitals’ ability to perform scientific research while providing patient care and minimizing virus exposure and spread. Many non-COVID-19 research has been halted, and funding has been diverted to COVID-19 research and away from other areas.Methods A 28-question survey was administered to all level 1 trauma centers in the USA that included questions about how the pandemic affected the trauma centers’ ability to fulfill the volume and research requirements of level 1 verification by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).Results The survey had a 29% response rate (40/137 successful invitations). Over half of respondents (52%) reported reduced trauma admissions during the pandemic, and 7% reported that their admissions dropped below the volume required for level 1 verification. Many centers diverted resources from research during the pandemic (44%), halted ongoing consenting studies (33%), and had difficulty fulfilling research requirements because of competing clinical priorities (40%).Discussion Results of this study show a need for flexibility in the ACS verification process during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially including reduction of the required admissions and/or research publication volumes.Level of evidence Level IV, cross-sectional study.