Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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Blunt injuries to the cervical trachea remain rare but present unique and challenging clinical scenarios for prehospital providers. These injuries depend on prehospital providers either definitively securing the injured airway or bridging the patient to a treatment facility that can mobilize the necessary resources. ⋯ Ultimately, a systematic approach to all airways will ensure that prehospital providers are best prepared for even the most challenging scenarios.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Comparison of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care Systems Among Pan-Asian Countries: An International, Multicenter, Population-Based Survey.
Knowledge on the current trauma systems in Asian countries is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma care systems among countries participating in the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) Clinical Research Network. ⋯ Substantial variability exists in EMS systems in Asia, especially for injured patients. Futures studies are required to assess the impact of this variability on patient outcomes.
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Observational Study
Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on EMS Documentation Accuracy: A Pilot Study.
Current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) documentation practices usually occur from memory after an event is over. While this practice is fairly standard, it is unclear if it can introduce significant error. Modern technology has seen the increased use of recorded video by society to more objectively document notable events. Stationary mounted cameras, cell-phone cameras, and law enforcement officer Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs) are increasingly used by society for this purpose. Video used in this way can often clarify or contradict recall from memory. BWCs are currently not widely used by EMS. The hypothesis is that current EMS documentation practices are inaccurate and that BWCs will have a positive effect on documentation accuracy. ⋯ Current EMS documentation practices demonstrate significant inaccuracy regardless of years of experience. Use of BWC technology appears to significantly improve EMS documentation accuracy in this pilot study.
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The development of measures to monitor and evaluate the performance and quality of emergency medical services (EMS) systems has been a focus of attention for many years. The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program), established by Congress in 1997, provides grants to states to implement initiatives to strengthen rural healthcare delivery systems, including better integration of EMS into those systems of care. ⋯ The system of care approach on which this rural EMS measures set is based can support the FORHP's goal of better focusing State Flex Program activity to improve program impact on the performance of rural EMS services in the areas of financial viability, quality improvement, and local/regional health system performance.
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Observational Study
Ability of the Physiologic Criteria of the Field Triage Guidelines to Identify Children Who Need the Resources of a Trauma Center.
There is limited research on how well the American College of Surgeons/Center for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines for Field Triage of Injured Patients assist EMS providers in identifying children who need the resources of a trauma center. ⋯ The Physiologic Criteria are a moderate predictor of trauma center need for children. Missing or inaccurate vital signs may be limiting the predictive value of the Physiologic Criteria.