Implementation of an algorithm for chest imaging in blunt trauma decreases use of CT-scan: Resource management in a middle-income country

•Implementation of an evidence-based algorithm for chest imaging in blunt trauma patients results in 20% decrease in chest CT-scan utilization (93% vs. 72% in the pre- and post-implementation period, respectively).•Limiting chest CT-scan to selected high risk blunt trauma patients does not increase patient morbidity and mortality.•Implementation of an evidence-based algorithm for chest imaging can oppose the overuse of CT-scan in blunt trauma patients.•Trauma centers can achieve better distribution of resources via using evidence-based institutional algorithms.