Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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1) To compare the outcomes of adult trauma patients transported to a level I trauma center by helicopter vs. ground ambulance. 2) To determine whether using a unique "natural experiment" design to obtain the ground comparison group will reduce potential confounders. ⋯ This unique natural experiment led to better matched air vs. ground cohorts for comparison. As per TRISS analysis, air transport of the adult major trauma patient is associated with significantly improved survival as compared with ground transport.
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Prehospital electrocardiograms (ECGs) have been recommended to facilitate early diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, prehospital ECGs can also be used to triage patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, who comprise a majority of patients with ischemic events presenting by ambulance to overcrowded emergency departments. ⋯ Our findings demonstrate a relatively high frequency (17%) of non-ST-segment elevation injury patterns on prehospital ECGs of patients who summon EMS because of chest pain. These results suggest the potential of prehospital ECGs to facilitate early triage in these high-risk chest pain patients who present to overcrowded emergency departments.
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Many emergency medical services (EMS) systems dispatch nonparamedic firefighter first responders (FFRs) to selected EMS 9-1-1 calls, intending to deliver time-sensitive interventions such as defibrillation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and bag-mask ventilation prior to arrival of paramedics. Deciding when to send FFRs is complicated because critical cases are rare, paramedics often arrive before FFRs, and lights-and-siren responses by emergency vehicles are associated with the risk of en-route traffic collisions. ⋯ This model provides a robust generalized methodology allowing EMS systems to optimize FFR lights-and-siren responses to emergency medical calls. Further validation is warranted to assess the model's generality.
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To determine whether the number of advanced life support-trained personnel at the scene of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) was associated with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) or survival to hospital discharge. ⋯ The presence of three or more paramedics at the scene of OHCA was not associated with improved survival to hospital discharge when compared to crews with two paramedics. Additional research is needed to determine the potential cause of this finding.
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Regionalization of medical resources by designating specialty receiving centers, such as trauma and stroke centers, within emergency medical services (EMS) systems is intended to ensure the highest-quality patient care in the most efficient and fiscally responsible fashion. Significant advances in the past decade such as induction of therapeutic hypothermia following resuscitation from cardiac arrest and a time-driven, algorithmic approach to management of septic patients have created compelling arguments for similar designation for specialized resuscitative interventions. Resuscitation of critically ill patients is both labor- and resource-intensive. ⋯ Just as EMS systems currently delineate criteria and monitor compliance for trauma, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and stroke centers, strong logic now exists to develop similar standards for resuscitation facilities. Accordingly, this discussion reviews the current applicable trends in resuscitation science and presents a rationale for resuscitation center designation within EMS systems. Potential barriers to the establishment of such centers are discussed and strategies to overcome them are proposed.