Prehospital and disaster medicine
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2017
ReviewThe Use of Emergency Lights and Sirens by Ambulances and Their Effect on Patient Outcomes and Public Safety: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.
The benefits of emergency lights and sirens (L&S) use as warning devices by ambulances continue to be a debated topic in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). While the most widely studied aspect of L&S use has been related to their effect on ambulance response and transport times, the literature suggests minimal time savings with more questionable impact on actual patient outcomes. As L&S use has been shown to increase the risk for vehicle crashes, the secondary concern of ambulance design and safety also becomes an important aspect on potential design recommendations that could mitigate the effects of a crash on patients, EMS providers, and the general public. ⋯ Murray B , Kue R. The use of emergency lights and sirens by ambulances and their effect on patient outcomes and public safety: a comprehensive review of the literature. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):209-216.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2017
Challenges and Opportunities to Engaging Emergency Medical Service Providers in Substance Use Research: A Qualitative Study.
Introduction Research suggests Emergency Medical Services (EMS) over-use in urban cities is partly due to substance users with limited access to medical/social services. Recent efforts to deliver brief, motivational messages to encourage these individuals to enter treatment have not considered EMS providers. Problem Little research has been done with EMS providers who serve substance-using patients. The EMS providers were interviewed about participating in a pilot program where they would be trained to screen their patients for substance abuse and encourage them to enter drug treatment.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2017
Evaluating the Potential Benefits of Advanced Automatic Crash Notification.
Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) services in passenger vehicles capture crash data during collisions that could be transferred to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. This study explored how EMS response times and other crash factors impacted the odds of fatality. The goal was to determine if information transmitted by AACN could help decrease mortality by allowing EMS providers to be better prepared upon arrival at the scene of a collision. ⋯ An AACN may help decrease mortality following a motor vehicle collision (MVC) by alerting EMS providers earlier and helping them discern when specialized equipment will be necessary in order to quickly extricate patients from the collision site and facilitate expeditious transfer to an appropriate hospital or trauma center. Plevin RE , Kaufman R , Fraade-Blanar L , Bulger EM . Evaluating the potential benefits of advanced automatic crash notification. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):156-164.
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Apr 2017
Comparative StudyThe Effect of Ambulance Staffing Models in a Metropolitan, Fire-Based EMS System.
Introduction The staffing of ambulances with different levels of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers is a difficult decision with evidence being mixed on the benefit of each model. Hypothesis/Problem The objective of this study was to describe a pilot program evaluating alternative staffing on two ambulances utilizing the paramedic-basic (PB) model (staffed with one paramedic and one emergency medical technician[EMT]).