DFI participants provided feedback on the beta version of a clinical guidance app developed following Year 1 of the conference.

In her introductory remarks to the Design for Implementation: The Future of Trauma Research and Clinical Guidance Conference, Eileen Bulger, MD, ACS Medical Director of Trauma Programs, reminded attendees of the vast scope of the problem they were there to address. Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death worldwide, she said, claiming 5.8 million lives a year, or nine people every minute. The number of people left disabled following injury is exponentially higher. What’s more, in the U.S., deaths from traumatic injury have increased 11.9% year over year in the past decade.

“It takes an average of 17 years for research findings to make their way into clinical practice,” said Dr. Bulger. But even then, a hospital may or may not have access to the research, and practitioners may or may not be able to find it in time to help the patient in front of them.

“Last year we came to agreement on the problem, this year we’re beginning to design the solution,” added Lacey LaGrone, MD, MPH, FACS, conference PI. “We’re here to actively work together to align on problems, co-design solutions, delivered at pace.” On Day 1, speakers addressed the minimum viable product–a beta version of a clinical guidance application to be tested during the day–the importance of collaboration across professional societies that develop guidance, and frameworks for synthesizing evidence.

Recordings of the presentations from both days will be available on the DFI page shortly.