Early Predictors of Near-Shore Spinal Injuries Among Emergency Department Patients.

Background: Spinal injuries (SIs) can pose a significant burden to patients and family; delayed surgical intervention, associated with interhospital transfer, results in worse outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to identify early patient-centered factors associated with risk for near-shore SIs to assist clinicians with expeditious medical decision-making.

Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of all adults transported from Ocean City, Maryland to two emergency departments (EDs) and one regional trauma center for evaluation of suspected SIs from 2006 to 2017.