Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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To develop optimal hospital evacuation plans within a large urban EMS system using a novel evacuation planning model and a realistic hospital evacuation scenario, and to illustrate the ways in which a decision support model may be useful in evacuation planning. ⋯ We present a hospital evacuation planning analysis for a hospital in a large urban EMS system using an optimization model. This model can be used by EMS administrators and medical directors to guide planning decisions and provide a better understanding of various resource allocation decisions and rules that govern a hospital evacuation.
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Emergency medical services (EMS) workers incur occupational injuries at a higher rate than the general worker population. This study describes the circumstances of occupational injuries and exposures among EMS workers to guide injury prevention efforts. ⋯ New and enhanced efforts to prevent EMS worker injuries are needed, especially those aimed at preventing body motion injuries and exposures to harmful substances. EMS and public safety agencies should consider adopting and evaluating injury prevention measures to improve occupational safety and promote the health, performance, and retention of the EMS workforce.
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Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people seek emergency care-and one of the most critical. In the United States, chest pain is the second most common reason for emergency department (ED) visits. A patient's primary complaint of "chest pain" may reflect a broad range of underlying causes; therefore, it is important that emergency medical service (EMS) agencies gain a thorough understanding of these cases, beginning with the initial management of chest pain in the 9-1-1 center. The primary objective of this study was to compare hospital-confirmed patient discharge diagnoses to all calls handled by emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) using the Chest Pain/Chest Discomfort (Non-Traumatic) Chief Complaint Protocol. ⋯ Underlying causes of non-traumatic chest pain reported to 9-1-1 demonstrate a wide range of etiologies, with a mix similar to that of chest pain patients in several other healthcare settings, including hospital emergency departments. Most IHD events are triaged by EMDs to the (highest) DELTA priority level, while the CHARLIE level captures nearly all of the remaining IHD cases.
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A recent analysis of the National Sample Project demonstrated that the mortality benefits of air medical transport do not extend to patients age 55 or older. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate mortality benefits of air transport in adult trauma patients ≥ 55 years of age. ⋯ Our study was able to demonstrate a survival benefit for the cohort of patients age greater than 55 years of age. Key words: air medical transport; trauma; geriatric.