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Kottmann A, Pasquier M, Carron PN, Maudet L, Rouvé JD, Suppan L, Caillet-Bois D, Riva T, Albrecht R, Krüger A, Sollid SJM. Feasibility of quality indicators on prehospital advanced airway management in a physician-staffed emergency medical service: survey-based assessment of the provider point of view. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081951. [PMID: 38453207 PMCID: PMC10921492 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the feasibility of quality indicators (QIs) for prehospital advanced airway management (PAAM) from a provider point of view. DESIGN The study is a survey based feasibility assessment following field testing of QIs for PAAM. SETTING The study was performed in two physician staffed emergency medical services in Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS 42 of the 44 emergency physicians who completed at least one case report form (CRF) dedicated to the collection of the QIs on PAAM between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021 participated in the study. INTERVENTION The data required to calculate the 17 QIs was systematically collected through a dedicated electronic CRF. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes were provider-related feasibility criteria: relevance and acceptance of the QIs, as well as reliability of the data collection. Secondary outcomes were effort to collect specific data and to complete the CRF. RESULTS Over the study period, 470 CRFs were completed, with a median of 11 per physician (IQR 4-17; range 1-48). The median time to complete the CRF was 7 min (IQR 3-16) and was considered reasonable by 95% of the physicians. Overall, 75% of the physicians assessed the set of QIs to be relevant, and 74% accepted that the set of QIs assessed the quality of PAAM. The reliability of data collection was rated as good or excellent for each of the 17 QIs, with the lowest rated for the following 3 QIs: duration of preoxygenation, duration of laryngoscopy and occurrence of desaturation during laryngoscopy. CONCLUSIONS Collection of QIs on PAAM appears feasible. Electronic medical records and technological solutions facilitating automatic collection of vital parameters and timing during the procedure could improve the reliability of data collection for some QIs. Studies in other services are needed to determine the external validity of our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Kottmann
- Emergency Department, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Medicine, REGA, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Mathieu Pasquier
- Emergency Department, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Nicolas Carron
- Emergency Department, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Ludovic Maudet
- Emergency Department, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Anaesthesiology, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Daniel Rouvé
- Anaesthesiology, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - L Suppan
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - David Caillet-Bois
- Emergency Department, Department of Interdisciplinary Centres, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Riva
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Albrecht
- Medicine, REGA, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Krüger
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Institute of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Stephen Johan Mikal Sollid
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Schröder H, Beckers SK, Borgs C, Sommer A, Rossaint R, Grüßer L, Felzen M. Long-term effects of a prehospital telemedicine system on structural and process quality indicators of an emergency medical service. Sci Rep 2024; 14:310. [PMID: 38172217 PMCID: PMC10764932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50924-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The benefits of a telemedical support system for prehospital emergency medical services include high-level emergency medical support at the push of a button: delegation of drug administration, diagnostic assistance, initiation of therapeutic measures, or choice of hospital destination. At various European EMS sites telemedical routine systems are shortly before implementation. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of implementing a tele-EMS system on the structural and procedural quality indicators and therefore performance of an entire EMS system. This retrospective study included all EMS missions in Aachen city between 2015 and 2021. Regarding structural indicators of the EMS system, we investigated the overall number of emergency missions with tele-EMS and onsite EMS physicians. Furthermore, we analyzed the distribution of tracer diagnosis and process quality with respect to the time spans on the scene, time until teleconsultation, duration of teleconsultation, prehospital engagement time, and number of simultaneous teleconsultations. During the 7-year study period, 229,384 EMS missions were completed. From 2015 to 2021, the total number of EMS missions increased by 8.5%. A tele-EMS physician was consulted on 23,172 (10.1%) missions. The proportion of telemedicine missions increased from 8.6% in 2015 to 12.9% in 2021. Teleconsultations for missions with tracer diagnoses decreased during from 43.7% to 30.7%, and the proportion of non-tracer diagnoses increased from 56.3% to 69.3%. The call duration for teleconsultation decreased from 12.07 min in 2015 to 9.42 min in 2021. For every fourth mission, one or more simultaneous teleconsultations were conducted by the tele-EMS physician on duty. The implementation and routine use of a tele-EMS system increased the availability of onsite EMS physicians and enabled immediate onsite support for paramedics. Parallel teleconsultations, reduction in call duration, and increase in ambulatory onsite treatments over the years demonstrate the increasing experience of paramedics and tele-EMS physicians with the system in place. A prehospital tele-EMS system is important for mitigating the current challenges in the prehospital emergency care sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Schröder
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Aachen Institute for Rescue Management and Public Safety, City of Aachen and University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Stefan K Beckers
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Institute for Rescue Management and Public Safety, City of Aachen and University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Medical Direction of Aachen Fire Department, Stolberger Strasse 155, 52068, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christina Borgs
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Institute for Rescue Management and Public Safety, City of Aachen and University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anja Sommer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Institute for Rescue Management and Public Safety, City of Aachen and University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rolf Rossaint
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Linda Grüßer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marc Felzen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Institute for Rescue Management and Public Safety, City of Aachen and University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Medical Direction of Aachen Fire Department, Stolberger Strasse 155, 52068, Aachen, Germany
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Ulvin OE, Skjærseth EÅ, Krüger AJ, Thorsen K, Nordseth T, Haugland H. Can video communication in the emergency medical communication centre improve dispatch precision? A before-after study in Norwegian helicopter emergency medical services. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e077395. [PMID: 37899141 PMCID: PMC10618992 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dispatching helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) to the patients with the greatest medical or logistical benefit remains challenging. The introduction of video calls (VC) in the emergency medical communication centres (EMCC) could provide additional information for EMCC operators and HEMS physicians when assessing the need for HEMS dispatch. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact from VC in the EMCC on HEMS dispatch precision. DESIGN An observational before-after study. SETTING The regional EMCC and one HEMS base in Mid-Norway. PARTICIPANTS EMCC operators and HEMS physicians at the EMCC and HEMS base in Trondheim, Norway. INTERVENTION In January 2022, VC became available in emergency calls in Trondheim EMCC. Data were collected from 2020 2021 (pre-intervention) and 2022 (post-intervention). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the proportion of seriously ill or injured HEMS patients, defined as a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) score between 4 and 7. The secondary outcome was the proportion of inappropriate dispatches, defined as missions with neither provision of additional competence nor any logistical contribution based on quality indicators for physician-staffed emergency medical services. RESULTS 811 and 402 HEMS missions with patient contact were included in the pre- and post-intervention group, respectively. The proportion of missions with NACA 4-7 was not significantly changed after the intervention (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.61, p=0.17). There was no significant change in HEMS alarm times between the pre- and post-intervention groups (7.6 min vs 6.4 min, p=0.15). The proportion of missions with neither medical nor logistical benefit was significantly lower in the post-intervention group (28.4% vs 40.3%, p=0.007). CONCLUSION The results from this study indicate that VC is a promising, feasible and safe tool for EMCC operators in the complex HEMS dispatch process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole Erik Ulvin
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Services, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eivinn Årdal Skjærseth
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Services, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas J Krüger
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Services, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kjetil Thorsen
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trond Nordseth
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helge Haugland
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Services, St Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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Ulvin OE, Skjærseth EÅ, Haugland H, Thorsen K, Nordseth T, Orre MF, Vesterhus L, Krüger AJ. The introduction of a regional Norwegian HEMS coordinator: an assessment of the effects on response times, geographical service areas and severity scores. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1020. [PMID: 35948977 PMCID: PMC9365225 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08337-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Due to unwanted delays and suboptimal resource control of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), regional HEMS coordinators have recently been introduced in Norway. This may represent an unnecessary link in the alarm chain, which could cause delays in HEMS dispatch. Systematic evaluations of this intervention are lacking. We wanted to conduct this study to assess possible changes in HEMS response times, mission distribution patterns and patient characteristics within our region following this intervention. Methods We retrospectively collected timeline parameters, patient characteristics and GPS positions from HEMS missions executed by three regional HEMS bases in Mid-Norway during 2017–2018 (preintervention) and 2019 (postintervention). The mean regional response time in HEMS missions was assessed by an interrupted time series analysis (ITS). The geographical mission distribution between regional HEMS resources was assessed by a before-after study with a convex hull-based method. Results There was no significant change in the level (-0.13 min/month, p = 0.88) or slope (-0.13 min/month, p = 0.30) of the mean regional response time trend line pre- and postintervention. For one HEMS base, the service area was increased, and the median mission distance was significantly longer. For the two other bases, the service areas were reduced. Both the mean NACA score (4.13 ± SD 0.027 vs 3.98 ± SD 0.04, p < 0.01) and the proportion of patients with severe illness or injury (NACA 4–7, 68.2% vs 61.5%, p < 0.001) were higher in the postintervention group. Conclusion The introduction of a regional HEMS coordinator in Mid-Norway did not cause prolonged response times in acute HEMS missions during the first year after implementation. Higher NACA scores in the patients treated postintervention suggest better selection of HEMS use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole Erik Ulvin
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. .,Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. .,Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Eivinn Årdal Skjærseth
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Helge Haugland
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kjetil Thorsen
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trond Nordseth
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marie Falch Orre
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Master's Degree Programme of Engineering and ICT, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars Vesterhus
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas Jørstad Krüger
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav`s University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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Samdal M, Thorsen K, Græsli O, Sandberg M, Rehn M. Dispatch accuracy of physician-staffed emergency medical services in trauma care in south-east Norway: a retrospective observational study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2021; 29:169. [PMID: 34876197 PMCID: PMC8650530 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-021-00982-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Selection of incidents and accurate identification of patients that require assistance from physician-staffed emergency medical services (P-EMS) remain essential. We aimed to evaluate P-EMS availability, the underlying criteria for dispatch, and the corresponding dispatch accuracy of trauma care in south-east Norway in 2015, to identify areas for improvement.
Methods Pre-hospital data from emergency medical coordination centres and P-EMS medical databases were linked with data from the Norwegian Trauma Registry (NTR). Based on a set of conditions (injury severity, interventions performed, level of consciousness, incident category), trauma incidents were defined as complex, warranting P-EMS assistance, or non-complex. Incident complexity and P-EMS involvement were the main determinants when assessing the triage accuracy. Undertriage was adjusted for P-EMS availability and response and transport times. Results Among 19,028 trauma incidents, P-EMS were involved in 2506 (13.2%). The range of overtriage was 74–80% and the range of undertriage was 20–32%. P-EMS readiness in the event of complex incidents ranged from 58 to 70%. The most frequent dispatch criterion was “Police/fire brigade request immediate response” recorded in 4321 (22.7%) of the incidents. Criteria from the groups “Accidents” and “Road traffic accidents” were recorded in 10,875 (57.2%) incidents, and criteria from the groups “Transport reservations” and “Unidentified problem” in 6025 (31,7%) incidents. Among 4916 patient pathways in the NTR, 681 (13.9%) could not be matched with pre-hospital data records. Conclusions Both P-EMS availability and dispatch accuracy remain suboptimal in trauma care in south-east Norway. Dispatch criteria are too vague to facilitate accurate P-EMS dispatch, and pre-hospital data is inconsistent and insufficient to provide basic data for scientific research. Future dispatch criteria should focus on the care aspect of P-EMS. Better tools for both dispatch and incident handling for the emergency medical coordination centres are essential. In general, coordination, standardisation, and integration of existing data systems should enhance the quality of trauma care and increase patient safety. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13049-021-00982-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Samdal
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care/Air Ambulance Department, Drammen Hospital, Drammen, Norway. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Kjetil Thorsen
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ola Græsli
- Pre-hospital Division, Emergency Medical Coordination Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mårten Sandberg
- Pre-hospital Division, Air Ambulance Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marius Rehn
- Department of Research, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway.,Pre-hospital Division, Air Ambulance Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Health Studies, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Rugg C, Woyke S, Voelckel W, Paal P, Ströhle M. Analgesia in adult trauma patients in physician-staffed Austrian helicopter rescue: a 12-year registry analysis. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2021; 29:28. [PMID: 33526048 PMCID: PMC7852148 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-021-00839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sufficient analgesia is an obligation, but oligoanalgesia (NRS> 3) is frequently observed prehospitally. Potent analgesics may cause severe adverse events. Thus, analgesia in the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) setting is challenging. Adequacy, efficacy and administration safety of potent analgesics pertaining to injured patients in HEMS were analysed. Methods Observational study evaluating data from 14 year-round physician-staffed helicopter bases in Austria in a 12-year timeframe. Results Overall, 47,985 (34.3%) patients received analgesics, 26,059 of whom were adult patients, injured and not mechanically ventilated on site. Main drugs administered were opioids (n=20,051; 76.9%), esketamine (n=9082; 34.9%), metamizole (n=798; 3.1%) and NSAIDs (n=483; 1.9%). Monotherapy with opioids or esketamine was the most common regimen (n=21,743; 83.4%), while opioids together with esketamine (n= 3591; 13.8%) or metamizole (n=369; 1.4%) were the most common combinations. Females received opioids less frequently than did males (n=6038; 74.5% vs. n=14,013; 78.1%; p< 0.001). Pain relief was often sufficient (> 95%), but females more often had moderate to severe pain on arrival in hospital (n=34; 5.0% vs. n=59; 3.2%; p=0.043). Administration of potent analgesics was safe, as indicated by MEES, SpO2 and respiratory rates. On 10% of all missions, clinical patient assessment was deemed sufficient by HEMS physicians and monitoring was spared. Conclusions Opioids and esketamine alone or in combination were the analgesics of choice in physician-staffed HEMS in Austria. Analgesia was often sufficient, but females more than males suffered from oligoanalgesia on hospital arrival. Administration safety was high, justifying liberal use of potent analgesics in physician-staffed HEMS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13049-021-00839-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Rugg
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simon Woyke
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Voelckel
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine AUVA Trauma Centre Salzburg, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Dr.-Franz-Rehrl-Platz 5, 5010, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Peter Paal
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Hospitallers Brothers Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Kajetanerplatz 1, 5010, Salzburg, Austria.,Austrian Society for Mountain and High-altitude Medicine (ÖGAHM), Lehnrain 30a, 6414, Mieming, Austria
| | - Mathias Ströhle
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. .,Austrian Society for Mountain and High-altitude Medicine (ÖGAHM), Lehnrain 30a, 6414, Mieming, Austria.
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Developing Quality Indicators for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Coordination in Norwegian Emergency Medical Communication Centrals: A Consensus Process. Air Med J 2021; 40:20-27. [PMID: 33455621 DOI: 10.1016/j.amj.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Efforts to optimize the use, availability, and safety of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) is important. A lack of consistent and comprehensive flight dispatch procedures and a lack of use of safety technology are recurring safety problems. Reports after several major incidents pointed toward a possible gain by coordinating Norwegian HEMS from regional emergency medical communication centrals. Our objective was to develop and implement relevant quality indicators before such implementation in central Norway. METHODS We recruited an expert panel of 24 persons representing Norwegian health authorities, emergency medical communication centrals, and HEMS bases and performed a 3-step e-mail-based Delphi process to develop relevant quality indicators. Each indicator was assessed according to their feasibility, rankability, actionability, and variability. To reach a consensus, a median score of 5 or more on a 6-point Likert scale in step 3 was needed. RESULTS A total of 61 quality indicators were proposed. Of the 14 indicators that reached a consensus, 12 of these were considered process indicators, and 2 were bordering to outcome indicators. CONCLUSION We applied a Delphi process method to develop quality indicators for HEMS coordination and flight following. An experienced and heterogeneous expert panel suggested and reached a consensus on which quality indicators should be applied.
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Haugland H, Olkinuora A, Rognås L, Ohlén D, Krüger A. Mortality and quality of care in Nordic physician-staffed emergency medical services. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2020; 28:100. [PMID: 33054786 PMCID: PMC7556966 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-020-00796-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Quality indicators (QI) for physician staffed emergency medical services (P-EMS) are necessary to improve service quality. Mortality can be considered the ultimate outcome QI. The process quality of care in P-EMS can be described by 15 response-specific QIs developed for these services. The most critical patients in P-EMS are presumably found among patients who die within 30 days after the P-EMS response. Securing high quality care for these patients should be a prioritized task in P-EMS quality improvement. Thus, the first aim of this study was to describe the 30-days survival in Nordic P-EMS as an expression of the outcome quality of care. The second aim was to describe the process quality of care as assessed by the 15 QIs, for patients who die within 30 days after the P-EMS response. Methods In this prospective observational study, P-EMSs in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway registered 30-days survival and scored the 15 QIs for their patients. The QI performance for patients who died within 30 days after the P-EMS response was assessed using established benchmarks for the applied QIs. Further, mean QI performance for the 30-days survivors and the 30-days non-survivors were compared using Chi-Square test for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables. Results We recorded 2808 responses in the study period. 30-days survival varied significantly between the four participating countries; from 89.0 to 76.1%. When assessing the quality of care for patients who die within 30 days after the P-EMS response, five out of 15 QIs met the established benchmarks. For nine out of 15 QIs, there was significant difference in mean scores between the 30 days survivors and non-survivors. Conclusion In this study we have described 30-days survival as an outcome QI for P-EMS, and found significant differences between four Nordic countries. For patients who died within 30 days, the majority of the 15 QIs developed for P-EMS did not meet the benchmarks, indicating room for quality improvement. Finally, we found significant differences in QI performance between 30-days survivors and 30-days non-survivors which also might represent quality improvement opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helge Haugland
- Department for Research and Development, The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Postbox 414, Sentrum, 0103, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Anna Olkinuora
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS Ltd, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Leif Rognås
- Department of Anaesthesia, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Danish Air Ambulance, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David Ohlén
- Airborne Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anaesthesia, Perioperative Management and Intensive Care Medicine, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andreas Krüger
- Department for Research and Development, The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Postbox 414, Sentrum, 0103, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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Reid BO, Haugland H, Abrahamsen HB, Bjørnsen LP, Uleberg O, Krüger AJ. Prehospital Stressors: A Cross-sectional Study of Norwegian Helicopter Emergency Medical Physicians. Air Med J 2020; 39:383-388. [PMID: 33012477 DOI: 10.1016/j.amj.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Personnel working in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and search and rescue (SAR) are exposed to environmental stressors, which may impair performance. The aim of this survey was to study the extent HEMS and SAR physicians report the influence of specific danger-based and non-danger-based stressors. METHODS The study was performed as a cross-sectional, anonymous, Web-based (Questback AS, Bogstadveien 54, 0366 Oslo, Norway) survey of Norwegian HEMS and SAR physicians between December 2, 2019, and February 25, 2020. RESULTS Of the recipients, 119 (79.3%) responded. In helicopter operations, 33.6% (n = 40) reported involvement in a minor accident and 44.5% (n = 53) a near accident. In the rapid response car, 26.1% (n = 31) reported near accidents, whereas 26.9% (32) reported this in an ambulance. Of physicians, 20.2% (n = 24) received verbal abuse or threats during the last 12 months. When on call, 50.4% (n = 60) of physicians reported sometimes or often being influenced by fatigue. CONCLUSION This study shows that Norwegian HEMS and SAR physicians are exposed to several stressors of both a danger-based and non-danger-based nature, especially regarding accidents, threatening patient behavior, and fatigue. Very serious incidents appear to be seldom, and job satisfaction is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Ole Reid
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Medical Services, Norwegian Armed Forces, Sessvollmoen, Norway.
| | - Helge Haugland
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
| | - Håkon Bjorheim Abrahamsen
- Institute for Safety, Economics and Planning, University of Stavanger, Norway; Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Lars Petter Bjørnsen
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Oddvar Uleberg
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
| | - Andreas J Krüger
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
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Saviluoto A, Björkman J, Olkinuora A, Virkkunen I, Kirves H, Setälä P, Pulkkinen I, Laukkanen-Nevala P, Raatiniemi L, Jäntti H, Iirola T, Nurmi J. The first seven years of nationally organized helicopter emergency medical services in Finland - the data from quality registry. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2020; 28:46. [PMID: 32471467 PMCID: PMC7260827 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-020-00739-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) play an important role in prehospital care of the critically ill. Differences in funding, crew composition, dispatch criteria and mission profile make comparison between systems challenging. Several systems incorporate databases for quality control, performance evaluation and scientific purposes. FinnHEMS database was incorporated for such purposes following the national organization of HEMS in Finland 2012. The aims of this study are to describe information recorded in the database, data collection, and operational characteristics of Finnish HEMS during 2012–2018. Methods All dispatches of the six Finnish HEMS units recorded in the national database from 2012 to 2018 were included in this observational registry study. Five of the units are physician staffed, and all are on call 24/7. The database follows a template for uniform reporting in physician staffed pre-hospital services, exceeding the recommended variables of relevant guidelines. Results The study included 100,482 dispatches, resulting in 33,844 (34%) patient contacts. Variables were recorded with little or no missing data. A total of 16,045 patients (16%) were escorted by HEMS to hospital, of which 2239 (2%) by helicopter. Of encountered patients 4195 (4%) were declared deceased on scene. The number of denied or cancelled dispatches was 66,638 (66%). The majority of patients were male (21,185, 63%), and the median age was 57.7 years. The median American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Scale classification was 2 and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance class 0. The most common reason for response was trauma representing 26% (8897) of the patients, followed by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest 20% (6900), acute neurological reason excluding stroke 13% (4366) and intoxication and related psychiatric conditions 10% (3318). Blunt trauma (86%, 7653) predominated in the trauma classification. Conclusions Gathering detailed and comprehensive data nationally on all HEMS missions is feasible. A national database provides valuable insights into where the operation of HEMS could be improved. We observed a high number of cancelled or denied missions and a low percentage of patients transported by helicopter. The medical problem of encountered patients also differs from comparable systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anssi Saviluoto
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland. .,University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Johannes Björkman
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland.,University of Helsinki, PO Box 4, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Olkinuora
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Ilkka Virkkunen
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Hetti Kirves
- Prehospital Emergency Care, Hyvinkää hospital area, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, PO Box 585, FI-05850, Hyvinkää, Finland
| | - Piritta Setälä
- Emergency Medical Services, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, FI-33521, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ilkka Pulkkinen
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Päivi Laukkanen-Nevala
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland
| | - Lasse Raatiniemi
- Centre for Prehospital Emergency Care, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 50, FI-90029, Oulu, Finland
| | - Helena Jäntti
- University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland.,Center for Prehospital Emergency Care, Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 100, FI-70029, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Timo Iirola
- Emergency Medical Services, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, PO Box 52, FI-20521, Turku, Finland
| | - Jouni Nurmi
- Research and Development Unit, FinnHEMS, WTC Helsinki Airport, Lentäjäntie 3, FI-01530, Vantaa, Finland.,Emergency Medicine and Services, Helsinki University Hospital and Emergency Medicine, University of Helsinki, PO Box 100, FI-00029, Helsinki, Finland
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