Videoconferencing in the emergency medical dispatch center: A pilot study

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine Vol. 41; pp. 257 - 258
• Main Authors: Pineau, Gwenolé, Jenvrin, Joël, Péré, Morgane, Penverne, Yann, Montassier, Emmanuel, Martinage, Arnaud
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2021; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Cellular telephones; Child; Conflicts of interest; Consent; Dyspnea; Emergency medical care; Emergency Medical Dispatch - methods; Emergency medical dispatch service; Humans; Intensive care; Patients; Physician dispatcher; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Smartphones; Video teleconferencing; Videoconferencing; Young Adult; France; Physician dispatcher; EMDC; SMS; Videoconferencing; Emergency medical dispatch service; EMS; UMUX
• ISSN: 0735-6757; 1532-8171
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.06.004

The EMS physician can give medical advice to the caller, send first aid responders (i.e., ambulance) or a mobile intensive care unit with an emergency physician on board. [...]dispatch is not based on protocols, but is based on the specific evaluation of the call by the physician. Of the 48 calls that EMS physicians reported a changed decision, the post video decisions were : in 18 calls, the EMS physician decided to send a mobile intensive care unit on scene, in 10 calls, the EMS physician decided not to send a mobile intensive care unit on scene, in 12 calls, patients were left on scene without any ambulance or mobile intensive care unit sent on scene, in 8 calls, ambulances were sent on scene and of these, 7 patients were admitted to the hospital and 1 left on scene. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest.