@article {Madayage000692, author = {Robert M Madayag and Erica Sercy and Gina M Berg and Kaysie L Banton and Matthew Carrick and Mark Lieser and Allen Tanner and David Bar-Or}, title = {Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability of level 1 trauma centers to meet American College of Surgeons research requirements}, volume = {6}, number = {1}, elocation-id = {e000692}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.1136/tsaco-2021-000692}, publisher = {BMJ Specialist Journals}, abstract = {Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had major effects on hospitals{\textquoteright} 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{\textquoteright} 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.}, URL = {https://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000692}, eprint = {https://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000692.full.pdf}, journal = {Trauma Surgery \& Acute Care Open} }