Faculty Collaboration Database

Use of Emergency Medical Service transport system in medical patients up to 36 months of age. Pediatr Emerg Care 1998 Jun;14(3):191-3

Date

07/09/1998

Pubmed ID

9655660

DOI

10.1097/00006565-199806000-00004

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0031851947 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   21 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of inappropriate transport by Emergency Medical Service (EMS).

DESIGN: A retrospective study.

SUBJECTS: Patients up to 36 months of age with medical complaints transported by EMS to an urban pediatric emergency department (ED).

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MEASUREMENTS: Arbitrary criteria for appropriate use of EMS transport system were developed. The age, triage status, number of previous uses of EMS, health insurance status, time of calls, chief complaint, and clinical management of patients in the ED were determined. The frequency of inappropriate use of EMS was determined and also the percentage of patients up to 36 months of age who used EMS transport system on more than one occasion.

RESULTS: Charts of 341 patients were reviewed of which 126 patients (37%) could have been transported by nonemergent vehicles according to our arbitrary criteria. In addition 97 (28%) of these patients had used the EMS transport system on at least one other occasion.

CONCLUSIONS: EMS is utilized for inappropriate transportation in approximately 37% of our pediatric patients less than 36 months of age with medical complaints. In addition, 28% of these same patients utilized the EMS system on more than one occasion. It would appear that education of care providers in the appropriate use of EMS and use of alternate means of transportation would make the system more efficient and productive.

Author List

Rosenberg N, Knazik S, Cohen S, Simpson P

Author

Pippa M. Simpson PhD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Ambulances
Caregivers
Child
Child, Preschool
Chronic Disease
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Michigan
Pediatrics
Retrospective Studies
Transportation of Patients
Triage
Urban Health Services