Status of state trauma registries 2025: Have we made progress?

Background: High-quality, granular, accessible, and timely data are essential for evaluating regional trauma ecosystems and implementing programs to improve trauma care. State trauma registries play a crucial role in collecting, disseminating, and sharing data for clinicians, researchers, implementation scientists, and policymakers. This study aimed to assess the status and progress of statewide trauma registries in the United States over the past 20 years.

Methods: A structured electronic survey was administered to eligible and consenting state trauma registry managers or emergency medical services personnel between July 2024 and November 2024. The survey gathered information on registry infrastructure, data collection and reporting processes, and data quality assurance measures. Findings were compared with those from a similar survey conducted in 2004.

Results: All 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the survey. Forty-seven states (92 %) reported an active trauma registry, an increase of 15 since 2004. Four states have never had a statewide registry, though two are planning to develop one. Among states with registries, only 18 (38 %) mandate data submission from all hospitals. While many registries have transitioned to web-based systems and updated software over the last two decades, 34 registries (72 %) still rely on manual data abstraction, and 28 (60 %) lack integration with electronic health records. Additionally, only 20 (43 %) state registries contribute data to national collection efforts.

Conclusions: Although progress has been made in establishing and modernizing state trauma registries since 2004, significant gaps remain, particularly in the absence of comprehensive mandatory reporting, the reliance on manual data entry, and the lack of integration with electronic health records and national databases. Addressing these challenges is essential for reducing the burden on registry teams and providing accurate, actionable, and timely data for improving trauma care.