Impact of COVID-19 pandemic phases on emergency medical services reaction times in Southern Poland.
Scientific Reports · 2025-08-22 · Observational study
Abstract
This study analyses Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reaction times and call volumes in Małopolska, Poland, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2023). The main objective was to evaluate healthcare system strain under different phases of the pandemic and to identify temporal patterns affecting EMS performance. Using statistical analyses, we investigated correlations between EMS call volumes and reaction times across various temporal scales, including hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly patterns. Results showed significant increases in EMS reaction times during pandemic peaks, especially during the vaccination rollout phase, correlating strongly with increased call volumes. The highest reaction delays occurred in December, weekends, and evening hours. Despite high call volumes, reaction times improved in later pandemic stages, indicating effective adaptation of EMS strategies. Seasonal and daily cyclicality in call patterns suggests opportunities for optimized resource allocation. The study highlights the resilience and adaptability of EMS systems under crisis conditions and recommends dynamic allocation strategies, accurate demand forecasting, and improved crisis communication. These findings offer critical insights for enhancing future EMS crisis management strategies and operational preparedness.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
COVID-19 pandemic · Time intervals
Related articles
- Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke response times: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (J Neurointerv Surg, 2022)
- Stroke network performance during the first COVID-19 pandemic stage: A meta-analysis based on stroke network models. (Int J Stroke, 2021)
- A Retrospective Analysis of Nearly 3,000,000 Non-COVID-19 Mid- and High-Priority Ambulance Activations Before and During COVID-19: A National Study from Saudi Arabia. (Healthcare (Basel), 2026)
- International Comparison of Ambulance Time Intervals for Suspected Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack Across 7 Emergency Medical Services Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. (J Am Heart Assoc, 2026)
- Declining Ambulance Offload Delays and Stabilised Emergency Department Length of Stay Post-COVID: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis. (Clin Exp Emerg Med, 2026)
- The Association Between Access Block And Ambulance Ramping, And The Impact of COVID-19: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study of 25 Queensland Hospitals. (Med J Aust, 2026)