A scenario based approach to optimizing cost-effectiveness of physician-staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Services compared to ground-based Emergency Medical Services in Finland.

OBJECTIVES: Since Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) is an expensive resource in terms of unit price compared to ground-based Emergency Medical Service (EMS), it is important to further investigate which methods would allow for the optimization of these services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of physician-staffed HEMS compared to ground-based EMS in developed scenarios with improvements in triage, aviation performance, and the inclusion of ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was assessed by comparing health outcomes and costs of HEMS versus ground-based EMS across six different scenarios. Estimated 30-day mortality and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were used to measure health benefits. Quality-of-Life (QoL) was assessed with EuroQoL instrument, and a one-way sensitivity analysis was carried out across different patient groups. Survival estimates were evaluated from the national FinnHEMS database, with cost analysis based on the most recent financial reports. RESULTS: The best outcome was achieved in Scenario 3.1 which included a reduction in over-alerts, aviation performance enhancement, and assessment of ischemic stroke patients. This scenario yielded 1077.07-1436.09 additional QALYs with an ICER of 33,703-44,937 €/QALY. This represented a 27.72% increase in the additional QALYs and a 21.05% reduction in the ICER compared to the current practice. CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness of HEMS can be highly improved by adding stroke patients into the dispatch criteria, as the overall costs are fixed, and the cost-effectiveness is determined based on the utilization rate of capacity.

An Analysis of Tube Thoracostomy in Combat Implications for Improved Prehospital Recognition and Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic trauma occurs frequently in combat and is associated with high mortality. Tube thoracostomy (chest tube) is the treatment for pneumothorax resulting from thoracic trauma, but little data exist to characterize combat casualties undergoing this intervention. We sought to describe the incidence of these injuries and procedures to inform training and materiel development priorities. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR) data set from 2007 to 2020 describing prehospital care within all theaters in the registry. We described all casualties who received a tube thoracostomy within 24 hours of admission to a military treatment facility. Variables described included casualty demographics; abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score by body region, presented as binary serious (=3) or not serious (<3); and prehospital interventions. RESULTS: The database identified 25,897 casualties, 2,178 (8.4%) of whom received a tube thoracostomy within 24 hours of admission. Of those casualties, the body regions with the highest proportions of common serious injury (AIS >3) were thorax 62% (1,351), extremities 29% (629), abdomen 22% (473), and head/neck 22% (473). Of those casualties, 13% (276) had prehospital needle thoracostomies performed, and 19% (416) had limb tourniquets placed. Most of the patients were male (97%), partner forces members or humanitarian casualties (70%), and survived to discharge (87%). CONCLUSIONS: Combat casualties with chest trauma often have multiple injuries complicating prehospital and hospital care. Explosions and gunshot wounds are common mechanisms of injury associated with the need for tube thoracostomy, and these interventions are often performed by enlisted medical personnel. Future efforts should be made to provide a correlation between chest interventions and pneumothorax management in prehospital thoracic trauma.

Barriers to integrating portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems in emergency medical service ambulances for stroke care.

This study examines the barriers to integrating portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems into ambulance services to enable effective triaging of patients to the appropriate hospitals for timely stroke care and potentially reduce door-to-needle time for thrombolytic administration. The study employs a qualitative methodology using a digital twin of the patient handling process developed and demonstrated through semi-structured interviews with 18 participants, including 11 paramedics from an Emergency Medical Services system and seven neurologists from a tertiary stroke care centre. The interview transcripts were thematically analysed to determine the barriers based on the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety framework. Key barriers include the need for MRI operation skills, procedural complexities in patient handling, space constraints, and the need for training and policy development. Potential solutions are suggested to mitigate these barriers. The findings can facilitate implementing MRI systems in ambulances to expedite stroke treatment.

This study investigates the challenges of integrating portable MRI systems into ambulances for faster stroke care. It identifies key barriers such as operational skills, procedural complexities, space constraints, and policy development needs, and offers a few solutions to improve emergency stroke treatment.

Nurses under fire: Insights from testimonies of community nurses and midwives in nonhospital settings in the southern Israel conflict zone.

Nurses-with or without prehospital care training-may find themselves delivering immediate care to injured individuals outside a healthcare facility, sometimes even in situations where their own life is at risk. This study explores the experiences of community nurses and midwives who provided immediate care during the Hamas militant movement's attack in southern Israel. The researchers collected and analyzed eight nurse and midwife survivors' testimonies published in digital media to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives. Through qualitative content analysis, common themes, patterns, and insights were identified. The study aimed to contribute valuable knowledge in this field and followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist for methodological rigor. Two themes emerged from the testimonies, focusing on the nurses' swift realization of necessary action under fire and resilience and ingenuity in practice. Despite lacking training and resources, the nurses professionally assessed the situation and improvised creative solutions to care for the wounded. Although they had no prehospital emergency care background, community nurses and midwives were able to respond effectively, providing lifesaving care. The findings highlight the nurses' resilience, adaptability, and dedication in unprecedented situations. However, the study also emphasizes the importance of providing all nurses with baseline prehospital care training and structured planning of this care to empower them to deliver optimal patient care in uncertain and dangerous conditions, especially in and around conflict and disaster zones.

Pediatric trauma patients in Swedish ambulance services -a retrospective observational study of assessments, interventions, and clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric trauma patients constitute a significant portion of the trauma population treated by Swedish Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and trauma remains a notable cause of death among Swedish children. Previous research has identified potential challenges in prehospital assessments and interventions for pediatric patients. In Sweden, there is limited information available regarding pediatric trauma patients in the EMS. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of pediatric trauma patients within the Swedish EMS and describe the prehospital assessments, interventions, and clinical outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted in a region of Southwestern Sweden. A random sample from ambulance and hospital records from the year 2019 was selected. Inclusion criteria were children aged 0-16 years who were involved in trauma and assessed by EMS clinicians. RESULTS: A total of 440 children were included in the study, representing 8.4% of the overall trauma cases. The median age was 9 years (IQR 3-12), and 60.5% were male. The leading causes of injury were low (34.8%) and high energy falls (21%), followed by traffic accidents. The children were assessed as severely injured in 4.5% of cases. A quarter of the children remained at the scene after assessment. Complete vital signs were assessed in 29.3% of children, and 81.8% of children were assessed according to the ABCDE structure. The most common intervention performed by prehospital professionals was the administration of medication. The mortality rate was 0.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric trauma cases accounted for 8.4% of the overall trauma population with a variations in injury mechanisms and types. Vital sign assessments were incomplete for a significant proportion of children. The adherence to the ABCDE structure, however, was higher. The children remained at the scene after assessment requires further investigation for patient safety.

A Qualitative Review of the Air Rescue One Rural Search and Rescue Program in British Columbia, Canada.

INTRODUCTION: Rural emergency prehospital care in British Columbia is conducted primarily by the British Columbia Ambulance Services or ground search and rescue volunteers. Since 2014, the volunteer Air Rescue One (AR1) program has provided helicopter emergency winch rescue services to rural British Columbia. The aim of this research was to describe the activity of the AR1 program and to make recommendations to improve future operations. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from September 2014 to May 2021, and parameters of emergency callout statistics from the organization's standard operating guidelines, rescue reports, and interviews were summarized and reviewed. RESULTS: Of 152 missions within the study period, 105 were medically related rescues involving trauma or cardiac events. Snowmobiling, mountain biking, and hiking were the most common activities requiring rescue. The 38 medical callouts that were not completed by AR1 were reviewed for contributing factors. Response time varied due to the vast service area, but median time from request to takeoff was 55 min (interquartile range 47-69 min), and median on-scene time was 21 min (interquartile range 11-33 min). CONCLUSIONS: AR1 provides advanced medical care into British Columbia's remote and difficult-to-access areas, minimizing delays in treatment and risk to patients and responders. Callout procedures should be streamlined enabling efficient AR1 activation. Collection of medical and flight information should be improved with standardized documentation, aiding in internal education and future research into the program's impact on emergency prehospital care. Future directions for improvement of care include the possibility of introducing portable ultrasound technology.

Lack of Public Awareness and Prehospital Care in Severe Trauma Patients: The Weakest Link in the Indian Healthcare System.

INTRODUCTION: Management of trauma involves both in-hospital and prehospital care. The level of prehospital care plays a vital role in trauma management. Low- and middle-income countries are still in the nascent stages of development of their emergency medical services (EMS) systems. Also, there have been insufficient studies assessing the availability and level of prehospital care in developing nations such as India. Therefore, we decided to study the level of awareness and prehospital care given to severe trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted this prospective observational study at the emergency department of Fortis Hospital, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, in Northern India. All adults between ages 18 and 85 years presenting with severe trauma (immediate life- or limb-threatening conditions requiring emergent intervention) were included. We measured the primary outcome in terms of why people did not avail EMS. We measured secondary outcomes in terms of intervention done in patients coming to us via EMS. RESULTS: Out of 101 patients, 89 (88.12%) were transported to Fortis Hospital through non-EMS, whereas only 12 (11.88%) patients were transported by EMS. We found the difference to be statistically significant. The major reason given for not summoning advanced trauma care services in patients was a lack of awareness about the potential benefits of EMS (n = 64 [72%]), followed by a lack of availability (n = 24 [27%]), and financial reasons (n = 1 [1.1%]). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the level of awareness about EMS for severe trauma patients was found to be low in our study. There is a need for an awareness-creation program across the nation to fill this gap.

Enfermagem de práticas avançadas no atendimento pré-hospitalar: desafios e estratégias de implementação / Advanced practice nursing in pre-hospital care: challenges and implementation strategies / Enfermería de práctica avanzada en la atención prehospitalaria: desafíos y estrategias de implementación

Objetivo: Mapear e analisar os potenciais desafios e estratégias na implementação da Enfermagem de Práticas Avançadas, no modelo de atendimento pré-hospitalar móvel brasileiro, a partir da experiência de outros países. Métodos: Revisão narrativa, a partir da análise da literatura sobre o tema, realizada em duas etapas: Revisão de documentos de entidades internacionais e busca de artigos nas bases nas bases Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo e no Google Scholar. Ao final, foi realizada a análise de cada desafio elencado e suas respectivas estratégias, quando aplicados ao modelo pré-hospitalar móvel brasileiro. Resultados: Os principais desafios analisados foram: compreensão do papel dos enfermeiros de práticas avançadas; a definição do escopo de práticas e das políticas de formação e qualificação; a regulamentação da atuação; a redução da resistência médica; os custos de implementação e a definição de mecanismos de remuneração. As estratégias de enfrentamento incluem: a sensibilização do público, definição do conjunto de prerrogativas e dos mecanismos de credenciamento e formação, associados a constituição de currículos potentes. Conclusão: Foram mapeados e analisados desafios e estratégias, que permitiram antecipar o cenário de aplicação da proposta da Enfermagem de Práticas Avançadas no modelo pré-hospitalar brasileiro, viabilizando proposição de ações fundamentais para a implementação e o sucesso da estratégia no país. (AU)

Objective: To map and analyze the potential challenges and strategies in the implementation of Advanced Practice Nursing in the Brazilian mobile pre-hospital care model, based on the experience of other countries. Methods: Narrative review, based on the literature on the subject, carried out in two stages: Review of documents from international organizations and search for articles in the databases Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo and Google Scholar. At the end, the analysis of each challenge listed and their respective strategies was carried out, when applied to the Brazilian mobile prehospital model. Results: The main challenges analyzed were: understanding the role of advanced practice nurses; definition of the scope of training and qualification practices and policies; the regulation of performance; the reduction of medical resistance; implementation costs and definition of remuneration mechanisms. Coping strategies include: raising public awareness, defining the set of prerogatives and mechanisms for accreditation and training, associated with building powerful curricula. Conclusion: Challenges and strategies were mapped and analyzed, which made it possible to anticipate the scenario of application of the Advanced Practice Nursing proposal in the brazilian prehospital model, enabling the proposition of fundamental actions for the implementation and success of the strategy in the country. (AU)

Objetivos: Objetivos: Mapear y analizar los potenciales desafíos y estrategias en la implementación de la Enfermería de Práctica Avanzada en el modelo de atención prehospitalaria móvil brasileña, a partir de la experiencia de otros países. Métodos: Revisión narrativa, basada en la literatura sobre el tema, realizada en dos etapas: Revisión de documentos de organismos internacionales y búsqueda de artículos en las bases de datos Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo y Google Scholar. Al final, se realizó el análisis de cada desafío listado y sus respectivas estrategias, cuando se aplicó al modelo prehospitalario móvil brasileño. Resultados: Los principales desafíos analizados fueron: comprender el papel de las enfermeras de práctica avanzada; definición del alcance de las prácticas y políticas de formación y cualificación; la regulación del desempeño; la reducción de la resistencia médica; costos de implementación y definición de mecanismos de retribución. Las estrategias de afrontamiento incluyen: sensibilizar al público, definir el conjunto de prerrogativas y mecanismos de acreditación y formación, asociados con la construcción de planes de estudio potentes. Conclusión: Se mapearon y analizaron desafíos y estrategias que permitieron anticipar el escenario de aplicación de la propuesta de Enfermería de Práctica Avanzada en el modelo prehospitalario brasileño, posibilitando la proposición de acciones fundamentales para la implementación y éxito de la estrategia en el país. (AU)

Video support for prehospital stroke consultation: implications for system design and clinical implementation from prehospital simulations.

BACKGROUND: Video consultations between hospital-based neurologists and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) have potential to increase precision of decisions regarding stroke patient assessment, management and transport. In this study we explored the use of real-time video streaming for neurologist-EMS consultation from the ambulance, using highly realistic full-scale prehospital simulations including role-play between on-scene EMS teams, simulated patients (actors), and neurologists specialized in stroke and reperfusion located at the remote regional stroke center. METHODS: Video streams from three angles were used for collaborative assessment of stroke using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) to assess symptoms affecting patient's legs, arms, language, and facial expressions. The aim of the assessment was to determine appropriate management and transport destination based on the combination of geographical location and severity of stroke symptoms. Two realistic patient scenarios were created, with severe and moderate stroke symptoms, respectively. Each scenario was simulated using a neurologist acting as stroke patient and an ambulance team performing patient assessment. Four ambulance teams with two nurses each all performed both scenarios, for a total of eight cases. All scenarios were video recorded using handheld and fixed cameras. The audio from the video consultations was transcribed. Each team participated in a semi-structured interview, and neurologists and actors were also interviewed. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. RESULTS: Analysis of video-recordings and post-interviews (n = 7) show a more thorough prehospital patient assessment, but longer total on-scene time, compared to a baseline scenario not using video consultation. Both ambulance nurses and neurologists deem that video consultation has potential to provide improved precision of assessment of stroke patients. Interviews verify the system design effectiveness and suggest minor modifications. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate potential patient benefit based on a more effective assessment of the patient's condition, which could lead to increased precision in decisions and more patients receiving optimal care. The findings outline requirements for pilot implementation and future clinical tests.

Emergency medical services in Armenia: national call trends and future directions.

BACKGROUND: Emergency medical services (EMS) are paramount to boosting health indices in lower-middle income countries (LMICs); however, lack of uniform data collection and analysis hinders system improvement efforts. In the present study, we describe patterns of EMS utilization in the Republic of Armenia and provide key insight into the quality of digital data collection methods. RESULTS: For calls logged in the capital city, Yerevan, the majority had at least one missing field. The predominant complaint was high blood pressure among adults (34.4%) and fever among pediatrics (65.9%). A majority of patients were female (57.6%), adults (90.2%), and not transported to a hospital (85.0%). In the rural provinces, the data was largely intact. The predominant complaints were unspecified acute condition (27.4%) and high blood pressure (26.2%) among adults, and fever (43.9%) and unspecified acute condition (22.1%) among pediatrics. A majority of patients were female (57.1%), adults (94.2%), and not transported to a hospital (78.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that the majority of calls to the EMS system are for concerns not needing in-hospital treatment and for acute exacerbation of chronic conditions. Our study also provides a critical foundation for the improvement of EMS systems in Armenia and in other nations in transition. The Locator software has the potential to be a valuable tool to the MoH if it is improved for surveillance purposes, and future synchronization of digital systems would provide easy access to critical information on population health needs and the effectiveness of public health interventions.

Nurses' perception of the impact of professional development sessions on their pre-hospital clinical practice with trauma victims.

Background: Continuing education is important for the quality of clinical practice because it complements it and focuses primarily on producing qualified pre-hospital nurses with operationally defined competence in nursing standards. The objective of this study was to assess pre-hospital nurses' opinion of the impact of professional development sessions on their clinical practice. Method: A descriptive and quantitative study was carried out involving Portuguese pre-hospital nurses. Six professional development sessions were presented in 2020 to pre-hospital registered nurses in four of Portugal's main cities. To collect the data, at the end of each session, we apply a questionnaire designed specifically for this study. This data collection instrument consists of 11 questions, six designed to evaluate the session and five designed to evaluate the trainer responsible for the session. A five-point Likert scale was used for each question, where 1 corresponds to very dissatisfied and 5 to extremely satisfied. Results: Two hundred and two nurses, which represents 55% of all Portuguese pre-hospital nurses, took part in the assessment of the professional development sessions. The nurses were from the Northern region of Portugal (51%; n = 102), the Centre region (29%; n = 59) and the Southern region of Portugal (20%; n = 41). Nurses found the session extremely satisfactory. All the assessment scores ranged between 4.4 and 4.7 points, on a scale of 1 to 5. 76.2% of the participants considered that the knowledge acquired could have a major impact [score = 5] on their future clinical practice. The majority of pre-hospital nurses (96.5%) felt that the session could have a major impact [score = 5; 76.2%, n = 154] or a very important impact [score = 4; 20.3%, n = 41] on their clinical practice. Conclusion: The professional development sessions provide pre-hospital nurses with the latest research findings and the majority of nurses considered that the training had a huge impact on their clinical practice. However, it is important that future research aims to explore the cause-effect relationship between training and improved clinical practice.

Traditional Spinal Immobilization versus Spinal Motion Restriction in Cervical Spine Movement; a Randomized Crossover Trial.

Introduction: Proper cervical spine immobilization is essential to prevent further injury following trauma. This study aimed to compare the cervical range of motion (ROM) and the immobilization time between traditional spinal immobilization (TSI) and spinal motion restriction (SMR). Methods: This study was a randomized 2x2 crossover design in healthy volunteers. Participants were randomly assigned by Sequential numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes (SNOSE) with permuted block-of-four randomization to TSI or SMR. We used an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor to measure the cervical ROM in three dimensions focusing on flexion-extension, rotation, and lateral bending. The immobilization time was recorded by the investigator. Results: A total of 35 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. The SMR method had cervical spine movement lower than the TSI method about 3.18 degrees on ROM in flexion-extension (p < 0.001). The SMR method had cervical spine movement lower than the TSI method about 2.01 degrees on ROM in lateral bending (p = 0.022). The immobilization time for the SMR method was 11.88 seconds longer than for the TSI method (p < 0.001) but not clinically significant. Conclusion: SMR that used scoop stretcher resulted in significantly less cervical spine movement than immobilization with a TSI that used long spinal board. We recommend implementing the SMR protocol for transporting trauma patients, as minimizing cervical motion may enhance patient outcomes.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Augmented Reality Just-in-Time Guidance for the Performance of Rugged Field Procedures.

INTRODUCTION: Medical resuscitations in rugged prehospital settings require emergency personnel to perform high-risk procedures in low-resource conditions. Just-in-Time Guidance (JITG) utilizing augmented reality (AR) guidance may be a solution. There is little literature on the utility of AR-mediated JITG tools for facilitating the performance of emergent field care. STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a novel AR-mediated JITG tool for emergency field procedures. METHODS: Emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-B) and paramedic cohorts were randomized to either video training (control) or JITG-AR guidance (intervention) groups for performing bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation, intraosseous (IO) line placement, and needle-decompression (Needle-d) in a medium-fidelity simulation environment. For the interventional condition, subjects used an AR technology platform to perform the tasks. The primary outcome was participant task performance; the secondary outcomes were participant-reported acceptability. Participant task score, task time, and acceptability ratings were reported descriptively and compared between the control and intervention groups using chi-square analysis for binary variables and unpaired t-testing for continuous variables. RESULTS: Sixty participants were enrolled (mean age 34.8 years; 72% male). In the EMT-B cohort, there was no difference in average task performance score between the control and JITG groups for the BVM and IO tasks; however, the control group had higher performance scores for the Needle-d task (mean score difference 22%; P = .01). In the paramedic cohort, there was no difference in performance scores between the control and JITG group for the BVM and Needle-d tasks, but the control group had higher task scores for the IO task (mean score difference 23%; P = .01). For all task and participant types, the control group performed tasks more quickly than in the JITG group. There was no difference in participant usability or usefulness ratings between the JITG or control conditions for any of the tasks, although paramedics reported they were less likely to use the JITG equipment again (mean difference 1.96 rating points; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated preliminary evidence that AR-mediated guidance for emergency medical procedures is feasible and acceptable. These observations, coupled with AR's promise for real-time interaction and on-going technological advancements, suggest the potential for this modality in training and practice that justifies future investigation.

Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States.

Introduction: Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) are used in the United States and globally to respond to patients with critical illness and victims of traumatic injury. Relatively limited research has examined their role in responding to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in the United States. In this study, we compared OHCA treated by HEMS units with cardiac arrests treated by ground ambulances. Methods: We queried a large national-level database of emergency medical services (EMS) activations in the United States (NEMSIS). Inclusion criteria were OHCA activations between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 treated by either HEMS or ground ambulance. Key arrest data from both groups were then compared. Interfacility transfers and cardiac arrests after EMS arrival were excluded. Results: A total of 1,233 cardiac arrests treated by HEMS and 341,096 cardiac arrests treated by ground ambulances met inclusion criteria. Comparing the two groups, cardiac arrests with HEMS response were more likely to be male (66.7% vs. 62.8%, p < 0.01), White (50.2% vs. 45.7%, p < 0.01), under 18 years old (10.9% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.001), associated with traumatic injury (19.1% vs. 5.7%, p < 0.001), witnessed (72.7% vs. 37.3%, p < 0.001), and initially-shockable (24.7% vs. 11.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our comparison of cardiac arrests treated by HEMS with cardiac arrests treated by ground ambulance reveals significant differences between the two groups. Further research is needed to better characterize HEMS' ideal role in the response to OHCA as new prehospital resuscitative techniques for non-traumatic and traumatic cardiac arrest are developed.

When do medical operators choose to use, or not use, video in emergency calls? A case study.

BackgroundAn evaluation report for a pilot project on the use of video in medical emergency calls between the caller and medical operator indicates that video is only used in 4% of phone calls to the emergency medical communication centre (EMCC). Furthermore, the report found that in half of these cases, the use of video did not alter the assessment made by the medical operator at the EMCC.We aimed to describe the reasons for when and why medical operators choose to use or not use video in emergency calls. METHOD: The study was conducted in a Norwegian EMCC, employing a thematic analysis of notes from medical operators responding to emergency calls regarding the use of video. RESULT: Informants reported 19 cases where video was used and 46 cases where it was not used. When video was used, three main themes appeared: 'unclear situation or patient condition', 'visible problem' and 'children'. When video was not used the following themes emerged: 'cannot be executed/technical problems', 'does not follow instructions', 'perceived as unnecessary'. Video was mostly used in cases where the medical operators were uncertain about the situation or the patients' conditions. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that medical operators were selective in choosing when to use video. In cases where operators employed video, it provided a better understanding of the situation, potentially enhancing the basis for decision-making.

Identifying prehospital trauma patients from ambulance patient care records; comparing two methods using linked data in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Linked datasets for trauma system monitoring should ideally follow patients from the prehospital scene to hospital admission and post-discharge. Having a well-defined cohort when using administrative datasets is essential because they must capture the representative population. Unlike hospital electronic health records (EHR), ambulance patient-care records lack access to sources beyond immediate clinical notes. Relying on a limited set of variables to define a study population might result in missed patient inclusion. We aimed to compare two methods of identifying prehospital trauma patients: one using only those documented under a trauma protocol and another incorporating additional data elements from ambulance patient care records. METHODS: We analyzed data from six routinely collected administrative datasets from 2015 to 2018, including ambulance patient-care records, aeromedical data, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, rehabilitation outcomes, and death records. Three prehospital trauma cohorts were created: an Extended-T-protocol cohort (patients transported under a trauma protocol and/or patients with prespecified criteria from structured data fields), T-protocol cohort (only patients documented as transported under a trauma protocol) and non-T-protocol (extended-T-protocol population not in the T-protocol cohort). Patient-encounter characteristics, mortality, clinical and post-hospital discharge outcomes were compared. A conservative p-value of 0.01 was considered significant RESULTS: Of 1 038 263 patient-encounters included in the extended-T-population 814 729 (78.5 %) were transported, with 438 893 (53.9 %) documented as a T-protocol patient. Half (49.6 %) of the non-T-protocol sub-cohort had an International Classification of Disease 10th edition injury or external cause code, indicating 79644 missed patients when a T-protocol-only definition was used. The non-T-protocol sub-cohort also identified additional patients with intubation, prehospital blood transfusion and positive eFAST. A higher proportion of non-T protocol patients than T-protocol patients were admitted to the ICU (4.6% vs 3.6 %), ventilated (1.8% vs 1.3 %), received in-hospital transfusion (7.9 vs 6.8 %) or died (1.8% vs 1.3 %). Urgent trauma surgery was similar between groups (1.3% vs 1.4 %). CONCLUSION: The extended-T-population definition identified 50 % more admitted patients with an ICD-10-AM code consistent with an injury, including patients with severe trauma. Developing an EHR phenotype incorporating multiple data fields of ambulance-transported trauma patients for use with linked data may avoid missing these patients.

Fixed dose ketamine for prehospital management of hyperactive delirium with severe agitation.

INTRODUCTION: Patients exhibiting signs of hyperactive delirium with severe agitation (HDSA) may require sedating medications for stabilization and safe transport to the hospital. Determining the patient's weight and calculating the correct weight-based dose may be challenging in an emergency. A fixed dose ketamine protocol is an alternative to the traditional weight-based administration, which may also reduce dosing errors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of adverse events following pre-hospital ketamine administration for HDSA. METHODS: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) records from four agencies were searched for prehospital ketamine administration. Cases were included if a 250 mg dose of ketamine was administered on standing order to an adult patient for clinical signs consistent with HDSA. Protocols allowed for a second 250 mg dose of ketamine if the first dose was not effective. Both the 250 mg initial dose and the total prehospital dose were analyzed for weight based dosing and adverse events. RESULTS: Review of 132 cases revealed 60 cases that met inclusion criteria. Patients' median weight was 80 kg (range: 50-176 kg). No patients were intubated by EMS, one only requiring suction, three required respiratory support via bag valve mask (BVM). Six (10%) patients were intubated in the emergency department (ED) including the three (5%) supported by EMS via BVM, three (5%) others who were sedated further in the ED prior to requiring intubation. All six patients who were intubated were discharged from the hospital with a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) 1 score. The weight-based dosing equivalent for the 250 mg initial dose (OR: 2.62, CI: 0.67-10.22) and the total prehospital dose, inclusive of the 12 patients that were administered a second dose, (OR: 0.74, CI: 0.27, 2.03), were not associated with the need for intubation. CONCLUSION: The 250 mg fixed dose of ketamine was not >5 mg/kg weight-based dose equivalent for all patients in this study. Although a second 250 mg dose of ketamine was permitted under standing orders, only 12 (20%) of the patients were administered a second dose, none experienced an adverse event. This indicates that the 250 mg initial dose was effective for 80% of the patients. Four patients with prehospital adverse events likely related to the administration of ketamine were found. One required suction, three (5%) requiring BVM respiratory support by EMS were subsequently intubated upon arrival in the ED. All 60 patients were discharged from the hospital alive. Further research is needed to determine an optimal single administration dose for ketamine in patients exhibiting signs of HDSA, if employing a standardized fixed dose medication protocol streamlines administration, and if the fixed dose medication reduces the occurrence of dosage errors.

Epidemiology of prehospital emergency calls according to patient transport decision in a middle eastern emergency care environment: Retrospective cohort-based.

Background and Aim: Though emergency medical services (EMS) respond to all types of emergency calls, they do not always result in the patient being transported to the hospital. This study aimed to explore the determinants influencing emergency call-response-based conveyance decisions in a Middle Eastern ambulance service. Methods: This retrospective quantitative analysis of 93,712 emergency calls to the Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service (HMCAS) between January 1 and May 31, 2023, obtained from the HMCAS electronic system, was analyzed to determine pertinent variables. Sociodemographic, emergency dispatch-related, clinical, and miscellaneous predictors were analyzed. Descriptive, bivariate, ridge logistic regression, and combination analyses were evaluated. Results: 23.95% (N = 21,194) and 76.05% (N = 67,285) resulted in patient nontransport and transportation, respectively. Sociodemographic analysis revealed that males predominantly activated EMS resources, and 60% of males (n = 12,687) were not transported, whilst 65% of females (n = 44,053) were transported. South Asians represented a significant proportion of the transported patients (36%, n = 24,007). "Home" emerged as the primary emergency location (56%, n = 37,725). Bivariate analysis revealed significant associations across several variables, though multicollinearity was identified as a challenge. Ridge regression analysis underscored the role of certain predictors, such as missing provisional diagnoses, in transportation decisions. The upset plot shows that hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common combinations in both groups. Conclusions: This study highlights the nuanced complexities governing conveyance decisions. By unveiling patterns such as male predominance, which reflects Qatar's expatriate population, and specific temporal EMS activity peaks, this study accentuates the importance of holistic patient assessment that transcends medical histories.