Referral of Burn Patients: Practical Consideration

In addition to as life threatening burn injury may create various morbidities, not only physically but also psychologically. The impact could be so serious that it may interfere with social role of the victim. Burns that undergo acute, subacute, and late phases, requires serious management for long periods. This is aimet at helping burn patient during his/her recovety process get her/his best quality of life after burn injury. In practical point of view, physician must haw good  diagnostic skill to assess the degree of burns correctly. One ofthe criteria to categorize burn patient is formulated by the American Burn Association. Good diagnostic skill, clear guidelines for referral patients, together with practical skill in burn management are the key to cut burn mortality and morbidity rate. It is important for a primary care doctor to determine wet her to take burn patient him/herself or to referit to hospital, or directly care of a to a burn unit. This decision is made upon assessment of the extent, depth, and location, of burns, as well as comorbid conditions, cause of burns, and patient's age. Keywords: burn injury morbidity, mortality, patients referral