ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to elucidate the patients' perceptions of the whole prehospital "chain-of survival" from the 1-1-2 call was made to arrival at the hospital; we wanted to study especially the impact different urgency levels had on patients' overall impression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on 1-1-2 medical emergency calls and forms a part of a larger postal survey among 6,535 patients who requested and received ambulance services. The answers were dichotomized into "problem scores" and "non-problem scores". The patients' overall impression was analysed in logistic regression models. RESULTS: The study was based on 1,419 answers (response rate 58%). Overall, 98% of 1-1-2-patients characterized the prehospital care as "Very good" (82%) or "Good" (16%). Patients' overall perceptions were dependent on age, evaluated urgency, and the information they received about expected response time. Patients' self-evaluated urgency level was lower than that assessed by the prehospital. CONCLUSION: The study shows that patients have a very positive attitude towards prehospital care, including criteria-based medical dispatch of ambulances. The overall impression of patients with urgency level A was significantly better than that of patients with urgency level B. The issues with most potential for improvement are: the assistance provided when calling 1-1-2 (first answered by the police and then the medical personnel), the prehospital personnel explaining what they were doing, the involvement of relatives and better information about expected ambulance response time. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.
