Articles: emergency-medical-services.
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Background: The objective of this study was to develop and validate machine learning models for data entry error detection in a national out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) prehospital patient care report database. Methods: Adult OHCAs of presumed cardiac etiology were included. Data entry errors were defined as discrepancies between the coded data and the free-text note documenting the intervention or event; for example, information that was recorded as "absent" in the coded data but "present" in the free-text note. ⋯ Machine learning models detected errors most efficiently for outcome place and initial rhythm errors; 82.6% of place errors and 93.8% of initial rhythm errors could be detected while checking 11 and 35% of data, respectively, compared to the strategy of checking all data. Conclusion: Machine learning models can detect data entry errors in care reports of emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians with acceptable performance and likely can improve the efficiency of the process of data quality control. EMS organizations that provide more prehospital interventions for OHCA patients could have higher error rates and may benefit from the adoption of error-detection models.
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Urban areas in the US are increasingly focused on mass casualty incident (MCI) response. We simulated prehospital triage scenarios and hypothesized that using hospital-based blood product inventories for on-scene triage decisions would minimize time to treatment. ⋯ In this simulation study comparing different triage strategies, including one based on actual blood product inventories, nearest hospital triage was inferior to equal distribution or a Supply-Guided strategy. Disaster response leaders in US urban areas should consider modeling different MCI scenarios and casualty numbers to determine optimal triage strategies for their area given hospital numbers and blood product availability.
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Observational Study
Trends in community response and long term outcomes from paediatric cardiac arrest: A retrospective observational study.
This study aimed to investigate trends over time in pre-hospital factors for pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (pOHCA) and long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcomes. These have not been described before in large populations. ⋯ Long-term favorable neurological outcome, assessed at a median 2.5 years follow-up, improved significantly over the study period. Total IQ scores did not significantly change over time. Furthermore, AED use (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.10-1.33) and shockable rhythms among adolescents (OR1.15, 95%CI 1.02-1.29) increased over time.
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Due to environmental extremes, as well as the nature of the work itself, wilderness first responders are at risk of incurring medical events in the line of duty. There currently do not exist standardized and scientifically supported methods to screen for a wilderness first responder's risk of incurring a medical event. ⋯ There is a dearth of high-quality research into the medical assessment of first responders. We recommend that this paper, and measures discussed within it, be used as a starting point in the development of an evidence-based assessment protocol for wilderness first responders. We also recommend the development of a national database of medical events incurred by wilderness first responders to facilitate higher-quality research of screening protocols in this community.
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Background: Point-of-care ultrasound is rapidly becoming more prevalent in the prehospital environment. Though considered a relatively new intervention in this setting, there is growing literature that aims to explore the use of prehospital ultrasound by EMS personnel. Methods: To better understand and report the state of the science on prehospital ultrasound, we conducted a narrative review of the literature. ⋯ Unique use scenarios that show promise include during critical care transport, for triage in austere settings, and for thoracic evaluation of patients at risk of life-threatening pathology. Conclusion: There is a growing mostly observational body of literature describing the use of ultrasound by prehospital personnel. Prehospital ultrasound has demonstrated feasibility for specific conditions, yet interventional studies evaluating benefit to patient outcomes are absent.