Objective evaluation study on the shortest time interval from fire department departure to hospital arrival in emergency medical services using a global positioning system ― potential for time savings during ambulance running

• Main Authors: Fumihito Fukushima, Takashi Moriya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
• Series: IATSS Research
• Subjects: Global positioning system; Objective evaluation; Response time; Emergency vehicle running time
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111220300650

In Japan, the transport time of patients by ambulance is increasing annually, yet it is not clear how this is affected by the extension of ambulance driving time. Using data obtained from a global positioning system (GPS), we used simulations to examine how emergency medical technician (EMT) activity time could be reduced. The research period was from September 14 to November 15, 2016. A total of 68 patients who had been transported to the tertiary emergency medical facility at Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University were targeted. Global positioning system (GPS) information obtained from probes deployed in each ambulance was matched with emergency medical services (EMS) records to identify distance, acceleration, EMT activity time, and scene location. Response time (RT) was compared between cases when the ambulance was dispatched from the nearest fire department (FD), from another FD, and assuming the ambulance was dispatched from the nearest FD. Additionally, we extracted data on congested roads, simulated cases in which road congestion was assumed to be improved, and examined whether time was statistically reduced. Average emergency vehicle running time to the scene (EVs) in 35 cases (51.5%) dispatched from the closest FD was 4.3 ± 1.47 min (Group A). In 30 cases (44.1%) dispatched from another FD, EVs was 7.2 ± 3.59 min (Group B). In 3 cases (4.4%) dispatched when returning to the FD, EVs was 8.0 ± 5.10 min. For Group B, EVs for a simulated dispatch from the nearest FD was 4.0 ± 2.12 min (Group C). The relationships between Groups A and B and Groups B and C were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The average emergency vehicle running time to the emergency department (EVemd) in 39 cases (57%) in which the ambulance did not pass a speed reduction zone was 8.2 ± 4.56 min (Group D). In 29 cases (43%) in which the ambulance did pass it, EVemd was 15.2 ± 4.81 min (Group E). For Group E, EVemd for a simulated route without speed reduction was 12.1 ± 3.51 min (Group F). The relationship between Groups E and F was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Ultimately, this study identified issues that reduced EMT activity time by analyzing GPS data in an urban area; analyzing such GPS data may illuminate regional issues regarding ambulance driving.