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dc.contributor.authorMunro, Scott
dc.contributor.authorJoy, M.
dc.contributor.authorde Coverley, Richard
dc.contributor.authorSalmon, Mark
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Julia
dc.contributor.authorLyon, Richard
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-09T14:30:12Z
dc.date.available2019-01-09T14:30:12Z
dc.date.issued2018-09-25
dc.identifier.citationMunro , S , Joy , M , de Coverley , R , Salmon , M , Williams , J & Lyon , R 2018 , ' A novel method of non-clinical dispatch is associated with a higher rate of critical Helicopter Emergency Medical Service intervention ' , Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (SJTREM) , vol. 26 , no. 1 , 84 . https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-018-0551-9
dc.identifier.issn1757-7241
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-0796-5465/work/62748018
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2299/20942
dc.description.abstractBackground - Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) are a scarce resource that can provide advanced emergency medical care to unwell or injured patients. Accurate tasking of HEMS is required to incidents where advanced pre-hospital clinical care is needed. We sought to evaluate any association between non-clinically trained dispatchers, following a bespoke algorithm, compared with HEMS paramedic dispatchers with respect to incidents requiring a critical HEMS intervention. Methods - Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from two 12-month periods was performed (Period one: 1st April 2014 – 1st April 2015; Period two: 1st April 2016 – 1st April 2017). Period 1 was a Paramedic-led dispatch process. Period 2 was a non-clinical HEMS dispatcher assisted by a bespoke algorithm. Kent, Surrey & Sussex HEMS (KSS HEMS) is tasked to approximately 2500 cases annually and operates 24/7 across south-east England. The primary outcome measure was incidence of a HEMS intervention.Results - A total of 4703 incidents were included; 2510 in period one and 2184 in period two. Variation in tasking was reduced by introducing non-clinical dispatchers. There was no difference in median time from 999 call to HEMS activation between period one and two (period one; median 7 min (IQR 4–17) vs period two; median 7 min (IQR 4–18). Non-clinical dispatch improved accuracy of HEMS tasking to a mission where a critical care intervention was required (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04–1.51, p = 0.02).Conclusion - The introduction of non-clinical, HEMS-specific dispatch, aided by a bespoke algorithm improved accuracy of HEMS tasking. Further research is warranted to explore where this model could be effective in other HEMS services.en
dc.format.extent7
dc.format.extent879975
dc.language.isoeng
dc.relation.ispartofScandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (SJTREM)
dc.subjectAir Ambulances
dc.subjectAlgorithms
dc.subjectEmergency Medical Dispatch/methods
dc.subjectEmergency Medical Technicians
dc.subjectEngland
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectIncidence
dc.subjectPatient Selection
dc.subjectRetrospective Studies
dc.subjectTriage
dc.titleA novel method of non-clinical dispatch is associated with a higher rate of critical Helicopter Emergency Medical Service interventionen
dc.contributor.institutionSchool of Health and Social Work
dc.contributor.institutionAllied Health Professions
dc.contributor.institutionParamedic Science
dc.contributor.institutionCentre for Applied Clinical, Health and Care Research (CACHE)
dc.contributor.institutionCentre for Future Societies Research
dc.description.statusPeer reviewed
dc.identifier.urlhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053797545&partnerID=8YFLogxK
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1186/s13049-018-0551-9
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
herts.preservation.rarelyaccessedtrue


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