Can video communication in the emergency medical communication centre improve dispatch precision? A before-after study in Norwegian helicopter emergency medical services.
BMJ Open · 2023-10-29 · Observational study
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.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Helicopter & air ambulance · Dispatchers & call takers · Prehospital physicians · Telemedicine · Time intervals
Related articles
- Introducing an on-site Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) physician in a Norwegian Emergency Medical Communication Centre: a focus group study on the experiences of operators and physicians. (BMJ Open, 2025)
- Physician staffed helicopter emergency medical service case identification - a before and after study in children. (Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med, 2016)
- The Association Between Clinician Dispatch and Tasking Efficacy in Prehospital Critical Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study. (Air Med J, 2025)
- Parallel activation of helicopter and ground transportation after dispatcher identification of suspected anterior large vessel occlusion stroke in rural areas: a proof-of-concept case with modeling from the LESTOR trial. (Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med, 2024)
- Usefulness of Key Word Methods to Execute Early Requests for a Physician-Staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Dispatch to Facilitate Early Medical Intervention by Physicians. (Air Med J, 2023)
- The efficiency, timeliness, health outcomes and cost-effectiveness of a new aeromedical retrieval model in Central Australia: A pre- and post-implementation observational study. (Aust J Rural Health, 2024)