Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30253795›Full record

Observational studyScandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine2018

A novel method of non-clinical dispatch is associated with a higher rate of critical Helicopter Emergency Medical Service intervention.

Scott Munro, Mark Joy, Richard de Coverly, Mark Salmon, Julia Williams, Richard M Lyon

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Prehospital critical care dispatch: a scoping review (PHASE).Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2025
    Article
  7. Observational
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Observational
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Observational
  14. Observational
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Observational
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Helicopter emergency medical service dispatch in older trauma: time to reconsider the trigger?Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Scott MunroSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK.
Mark JoySchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK.
Richard de CoverlyKent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, Redhill Airfield, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 5YP, UK.
Mark SalmonKent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, Redhill Airfield, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 5YP, UK.
Julia WilliamsSouth East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 2AS, UK.
Richard M LyonSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK. richardl@aakss.org.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6339-5666

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHelicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) are a scarce resource that can provide advanced emergency medical care to unwell or injured patients. Accurate tasking of HEMS is required to incidents where advanced pre-hospital clinical care is needed. We sought to evaluate any association between non-clinically trained dispatchers, following a bespoke algorithm, compared with HEMS paramedic dispatchers with respect to incidents requiring a critical HEMS intervention.

methodsRetrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from two 12-month periods was performed (Period one: 1st April 2014 - 1st April 2015; Period two: 1st April 2016 - 1st April 2017). Period 1 was a Paramedic-led dispatch process. Period 2 was a non-clinical HEMS dispatcher assisted by a bespoke algorithm. Kent, Surrey & Sussex HEMS (KSS HEMS) is tasked to approximately 2500 cases annually and operates 24/7 across south-east England. The primary outcome measure was incidence of a HEMS intervention.

resultsA total of 4703 incidents were included; 2510 in period one and 2184 in period two. Variation in tasking was reduced by introducing non-clinical dispatchers. There was no difference in median time from 999 call to HEMS activation between period one and two (period one; median 7 min (IQR 4-17) vs period two; median 7 min (IQR 4-18). Non-clinical dispatch improved accuracy of HEMS tasking to a mission where a critical care intervention was required (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04-1.51, p = 0.02).

conclusionThe introduction of non-clinical, HEMS-specific dispatch, aided by a bespoke algorithm improved accuracy of HEMS tasking. Further research is warranted to explore where this model could be effective in other HEMS services.

Indexed as

Air AmbulancesAlgorithmsEmergency Medical DispatchEmergency Medical TechniciansEnglandHumansIncidencePatient SelectionRetrospective StudiesTriageAir ambulanceDispatchEmergency medical servicesHelicopter emergency medical servicesTasking

Identifiers

PMID30253795
PMCPMC6156918

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.