Prehospital emergency care : official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the National Association of State EMS Directors
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The prehospital treatment for stable patients with atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response is rate-controlling agents such as calcium channel blockers, often diltiazem given as a bolus. At our agency we encourage the use of a bolus given via the infusion pump over two to four minutes immediately followed by a maintenance infusion, given concerns of recurrent tachycardia or hypotension secondary to rapid bolus administration. We examined if administering a bolus and infusion via an infusion pump shows better heart rate (HR) control at arrival to the emergency department (ED) compared with administration of a bolus only, while maintaining hemodynamic stability during transport. We also analyzed if a patient received a second bolus within 60 min of arrival to the ED. ⋯ Our results show no significant differences in HR control or need for repeat bolus at the ED with the use of a diltiazem infusion following a diltiazem bolus. However, even when administering larger boluses, the use of an infusion pump resulted in less hypotension.
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Evidence suggests that Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) can improve survival rates for nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, when ECPR is indicated over 50% of potential candidates are unable to qualify in the current hospital-based system due to geographic limitations. This study employs a Geographic Information System (GIS) model to estimate the number of ECPR eligible patients within the United States in the current hospital-based system, a prehospital ECPR ground-based system, and a prehospital ECPR Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)-based system. ⋯ The study demonstrates a two-fold increase in ECPR eligibility for a field-deployable ground-based system and a four-fold increase for a prehospital ECPR HEMS-based system compared to the current hospital-based OHCA system. This novel GIS model can inform future ECPR implementation strategies, optimizing systems of care.
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Improving health and safety in our communities requires deliberate focus and commitment to equity. Inequities are differences in access, treatment, and outcomes between individuals and across populations that are systemic, avoidable, and unjust. ⋯ Given the critical role that EMS plays within the health care system, it is imperative that EMS systems reduce inequities by delivering evidence-based, high-quality care for the communities and patients we serve. To achieve equity in EMS care delivery and patient outcomes, the National Association of EMS Physicians recommends that EMS systems and agencies:make health equity a strategic priority and commit to improving equity at all levels.assess and monitor clinical and safety quality measures through the lens of inequities as an integrated part of the quality management process.ensure that data elements are structured to enable equity analysis at every level and routinely evaluate data for limitations hindering equity analysis and improvement.involve patients and community stakeholders in determining data ownership and stewardship to ensure its ongoing evolution and fitness for use for measuring care inequities.address biases as they translate into the quality of care and standards of respect for patients.pursue equity through a framework rooted in the principles of improvement science.