Time of ambulance services to provide prompt and timely service on traffic injury calls in Ulaanbaatar / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

ABSTRACT

BackgroundTrauma, traffic accidents are among main concerns to attach greater attention. Prompt medical assistance plays essential role in reducing consequences of road accident, as well as trauma and saving lives. In the recent years the number of traffic accidents has been steadily growing in Mongolia. The traffic accident mortality rate has been increasing.GoalWith this paper we aimed to reveal main difficulties the Emergency Medical Service of Mongolia encounter in providing effective, speedy medical assistance to the injured in road accidents; define ways and opportunities of improving quality of medical help.Materials and methodsWithin the framework of the study, activities have been implemented in three directions. Firstly At Emergency Medical Service emergency call registration book for 2009-2010 was analyzed. Date, place, the number of victims, age, gender composition, time of emergency assistance arrival at crash scene, length of first and pre- hospital aid rendered at crash scene and others were focused on. It facilitated to determine combined time of emergency call and medical assistance at crash site. In order to define attitude, views of emergency medical personnel data have been collected through individual or group interview.ResultsTotal number traffic accidents registered in emergency medical service were 1618 between 2009 and 2010. Males comprised 65% and 35% females, age ranged between 3-86 (average age 32.8±14). Large number of traffic accidents occurred in Bayanzurh and Songinohairhan districts. Most traffic accidents occurred in April, August and October. Total time spent in emergency medical service in traffic accidents were 28.4±20.3 minutes. 43.6% of total emergency medical service were in 20 minutes but 56.4% were more than 21 minutes.ConclusionThe result of the study indicates that emergency medical assistance arrival is mainly delayed due to many factors including broad range or area of service, insufficient number of doctors, ambulance vehicles, traumatic hospitals and traffic jam. Non-for emergency assistance calls occupying majority of emergency calls can also be attributed as one of negative factors.