Articles: emergency-medical-services.
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Comparative Study
[Primary management of polytrauma. Comparison of a German and American air rescue unit].
Hospital-based helicopter services from German and American university-affiliated trauma centers were reviewed. All multitrauma patients transported via helicopter from the scene of the accident to the trauma center during a 1-year period were included. The patients were comparable regarding mechanism of injury, age, flight times, mean ISS, ISS distribution, and number of severe injuries per body region (patients with AIS > 3 for head, thorax and abdomen). ⋯ Pre-hospital care in the German system is directed on-scene by a trauma surgeon member of the flight crew, compared to a nurse/paramedic team with remote medical control in the American system. Compared to an American trauma system, the German system demonstrates improved overall outcome as measured by survivor-based TRISS Z-statistics. More favorable German Z-statistics are in part related to fewer early deaths.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Comparative Study
Medical direction and control of emergency medical services in Canada.
To determine the level of physician involvement in prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) in Canada, as compared with published principles of medical control and direction. ⋯ The level of physician involvement in the medical direction and control of EMS appears to be inconsistent across Canada and insufficient in most jurisdictions, as compared with accepted principles.
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Editorial Comment
Variability in resuscitation rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.