TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1994//
TI  - Patient outcome using medical protocol to limit "lights and siren" transport
JO  - Prehospital and disaster medicine
A1  - Kupas, D. F.
A1  - Dula, D. J.
A1  - Pino, B. J.
SP  - 226
EP  - 229
VL  - 9
IS  - 4
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Emergency medical services vehicle collisions (EMVCs) associated with the use of warning "lights and siren" (L&S) are responsible for injuries and death to emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and patients. This study examines patient outcome when medical protocol directs L&S transport. DESIGN: During four months, all EMS calls initiated as an emergency request for service and culminating in transport to an emergency department (ED) were included. Medical criteria determined emergent (L&S) versus non-emergent transport. Patients with worsened conditions, as reported by EMS providers, were reviewed. SETTING: Countywide suburban/rural EMS system. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent (1,495 of 1,625) of patients were transported nonemergently. Thirteen (1%) of these were reported to have worsened during transport, and none of them suffered any worsened outcome related to the non-L&S transport. CONCLUSION: This medical protocol directing the use of warning L&S during patient transport results in infrequent L&S transport. In this study, no adverse outcomes were found related to non-L&S transports.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1049-023X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -