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Citation
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Tshokey T, Tshering U, Lhazeen K, Abrahamyan A, Timire C, Gurung B, Subedi DC, Wangdi K, Vilas VDR, Zachariah R. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2022; 7(6): e87. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: An efficient ambulance service is a vital component of emergency medical services. We determined the emergency ambulance response and transport times and ambulance exit outcomes in Bhutan.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving real-time monitoring of emergency ambulance deployments managed by a central toll-free (112) hotline (20 October 2021 to 20 January 2022) was carried out.
RESULTS: Of 5092 ambulance deployments, 4291 (84%) were inter-facility transfers, and 801 (16%) were for emergencies. Of the latter, 703 (88%) were for non-pregnancy-related emergencies (i.e., medical, surgical, and accidents), while 98 (12%) were for pregnancy-related emergencies. The median ambulance response and patient transport times were 42 (IQR 3-271) and 41 (IQR 2-272) minutes, respectively. The median round-trip distance travelled by ambulances was 18 km (range 1-186 km). For ambulance exit outcomes that were pregnancy-related (n = 98), 89 (91%) reached the health facility successfully, 8 delivered prior to ambulance arrival at the scene or in the ambulance during transport, and 1 had no outcome record. For the remaining 703 non-pregnancy deployments, 29 (4.1%) deployments were deemed not required or refusals, and 656 (93.3%) reached the health facility successfully; 16 (2.3%) died before the ambulance's arrival at the scene, and 2 (0.3%) were not recorded.
CONCLUSIONS: This first countrywide real-time operational research showed acceptable ambulance exit outcomes. Improving ambulance response and transport times might reduce morbidities and mortalities further.
Language: en |