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. 2020 Dec 11;8(4):551.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare8040551.

Trends and Characteristics of Emergency Medical Services in Italy: A 5-Years Population-Based Registry Analysis

Sara Campagna  1 , Alessio Conti  1 , Valerio Dimonte  1 , Marco Dalmasso  2 , Michele Starnini  3 , Maria Michela Gianino  1 , Alberto Borraccino  1
Affiliations

Trends and Characteristics of Emergency Medical Services in Italy: A 5-Years Population-Based Registry Analysis

Sara Campagna et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) plays a fundamental role in providing good quality healthcare services to citizens, as they are the first responders in distressing situations. Few studies have used available EMS data to investigate EMS call characteristics and subsequent responses. Methods: Data were extracted from the emergency registry for the period 2013-2017. This included call and rescue vehicle dispatch information. All relationships in analyses and differences in events proportion between 2013 and 2017 were tested against the Pearson's Chi-Square with a 99% level of confidence. Results: Among the 2,120,838 emergency calls, operators dispatched at least one rescue vehicle for 1,494,855. There was an estimated overall incidence of 96 emergency calls and 75 rescue vehicles dispatched per 1000 inhabitants per year. Most calls were made by private citizens, during the daytime, and were made from home (63.8%); 31% of rescue vehicle dispatches were advanced emergency medical vehicles. The highest number of rescue vehicle dispatches ended at the emergency department (74.7%). Conclusions: Our data showed that, with some exception due to environmental differences, the highest proportion of incoming emergency calls is not acute or urgent and could be more effectively managed in other settings than in an Emergency Departments (ED). Better management of dispatch can reduce crowding and save hospital emergency departments time, personnel, and health system costs.

Keywords: emergency medical services; information systems; population surveillance; prehospital intervention.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow of incoming emergency calls and corresponding Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responses.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proportional frequencies (%) of rescue completion (RC) at a hospital emergency department (ED) by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) criticality codes (Red, Yellow, Green, White) for type of rescue vehicle dispatched: Advanced EMS vehicle type1) doctors and nurses with advanced life-saving capabilities, as well as specially trained volunteer rescuers or type2) nurses with advanced life-saving capabilities as well as specially trained volunteer rescuers. Basic EMS vehicle carry a rescue team of specially trained volunteer rescuers with basic life support capabilities. Rescue helicopter teams consist of an anaesthesiologist, a nurse, and a mountain rescue technician. RC—rescue completion; HED—hospital emergency department.
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