Revising the Ambulance Clinical Response Model in Victoria, Australia: The Impact on Patient Safety.
Emergency medicine Australasia · 2025-12-01 · Observational study
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a revised ambulance clinical response model (CRM) on 24- and 72-h patient outcomes and triage accuracy. METHODS: Retrospective study of consecutive ambulance calls in Victoria, Australia between 01/01/2015 and 31/12/2018 linked with hospital and death records. Negative binomial interrupted time series analyses were used. RESULTS: Among callers referred away from emergency ambulance dispatch, the revised CRM was not associated with any change in mortality; although there was an increasing trend in recontacts. Among all callers, triage accuracy improved; however under-triage was more common. CONCLUSION: Ongoing CRM reforms should be informed by patient safety outcomes.