Hospital Requirements

Hospitals should report all traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries (SCIs), traumatic injuries, and submersions to the EMS and Trauma Registries (EMSTR). In addition, EMSTR will follow the inclusion criteria below as defined by the National Trauma Data Standard (NTDS):

• Hospital admission as defined by your trauma registry inclusion criteria; OR
• Patient transfer via EMS transport (including air ambulance) from one hospital to another hospital; OR
• Death resulting from the traumatic injury (independent of hospital admission or hospital transfer status).

All of the required fields for TBIs, SCIs, traumatic injuries, and submersions are listed in the applicable data dictionary, in the file format described in the data dictionary.

For TBIs, SCIs, traumatic injuries, and submersions data should be sent electronically. The appropriate method is to establish an account within EMSTR and use the online system for submitting data. 

Hospitals may use their own software for file uploads or the free online system for web data entry. 

NOTE: EMSTR no longer accepts paper submersion records.

Data should be submitted within 90 days from the date of discharge. EMSTR recommends that hospitals and business associates submit data monthly. When there is no data for a particular month, the hospital shall submit a No Reportable Data (NRD) form using the online system.

The rules require hospitals to submit all data. The amount and quality of data sent in may affect EMS Systems, Regional Advisory Council (RAC) funding, and data reports generated by EMSTR.

Yes, hospitals are allowed to submit through a business associate. However, it is the ultimate responsibility of the individual hospital to ensure that its data is accepted into the EMSTR. Before working with a third party vendor, the hospital must have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) on file with EMSTR.

Sample Business Associate Agreement

• BAA

Sample File

• 2020 NTDB Hospital Sample File (.xml)
• 2020 NTDB Hospital Sample File (.xml)