The effect of rural hospital closures on emergency medical service response and transport times.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the effect of rural hospital closures on EMS response time (minutes between dispatch notifying unit and arriving at scene); transport time (minutes between unit leaving the scene and arriving at destination); and total activation time (minutes between 9-1-1 call to responding unit returning to service), as longer EMS times are associated with worse patient outcomes.

Data sources/study setting

We use secondary data from the National EMS Information System, Area Health Resource, and Center for Medicare & Medicaid Provider of Service files (2010-2016).

Study design

We examined the effects of rural hospital closures on EMS transport times for emergent 9-1-1 calls in rural areas using a pre-post, retrospective cohort study with the matched comparison g

SUBMITTER: Miller KEM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7080401 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature