Overtriage occurs when trauma patients are transferred to higher-level centers despite not requiring specialized care, leading to unnecessary resource use, increased costs, and potential patient harm. Overtriage is well documented among transferred trauma patients in the United States, particularly for isolated injuries such as facial fractures. In this retrospective study, we assessed secondary overtriage among patients transferred from Oregon hospitals to the state’s two level I trauma centers. We found that approximately one in four transferred patients with isolated facial fractures did not require interventions unique to level I centers, highlighting opportunities to reduce unnecessary transfers and improve trauma system efficiency.
