Mechanism of Injury (MOI) refers to the specific circumstances and forces that led to a patient's injury, encompassing factors such as impact, direction, and energy transfer. Understanding MOI is crucial for responders to anticipate associated injuries and tailor assessments accordingly, particularly in high-stress environments like those governed by the Incident Command System (ICS). Not to be confused with the injury itself, MOI provides insight into the potential severity and nature of injuries sustained. In EMS contexts, it is commonly framed alongside structured communication and triage concepts such as START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) or SALT (Sort, Assess, Lifesaving interventions, Treatment/Transport) as shared terminology.
Category context: Patient care, assessment, interventions, triage, and EMS system terms commonly used by firefighter/medics.