Accuracy of emergency medical service telephone triage of need for an ambulance response in suspected COVID-19: an observational cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess accuracy of emergency medical service (EMS) telephone triage in identifying patients who need an EMS response and identify factors which affect triage accuracy.

Design

Observational cohort study.

Setting

Emergency telephone triage provided by Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) National Health Service (NHS) Trust.

Participants

12 653 adults who contacted EMS telephone triage services provided by YAS between 2 April 2020 and 29 June 2020 assessed by COVID-19 telephone triage pathways were included.

Outcome

Accuracy of call handler decision to dispatch an ambulance was assessed in terms of death or need for organ support at 30 days from first contact with the telephone triage service.

Results

Callers contacting EMS dispatch service

SUBMITTER: Marincowitz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9114316 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature