Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38684980›Full record

ArticleBMC emergency medicine2024

Exploring factors influencing time from dispatch to unit availability according to the transport decision in the pre-hospital setting: an exploratory study.

Hassan Farhat, Ahmed Makhlouf, Padarath Gangaram, Kawther El Aifa, Mohamed Chaker Khenissi, Ian Howland, Cyrine Abid, Andre Jones, Ian Howard, Nicholas Castle and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC emergency medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Observational
  2. 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

15 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Hassan FarhatAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar. Hfarhat1@hamad.qa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5448-9401
Ahmed MakhloufAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Padarath GangaramAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Kawther El AifaAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Mohamed Chaker KhenissiAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Ian HowlandAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Cyrine AbidLaboratory of Screening Cellular and Molecular Process, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
Andre JonesAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Ian HowardAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Nicholas CastleAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Loua Al ShaikhAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Moncef KhadhraouiHigher Institute of Biotechnology, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
Imed GargouriFaculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
James LaughtonAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Guillaume AlinierAmbulance Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
Hamad Medical Corporation · QAUniversity of Sfax · TNDurban University of Technology · ZAUniversity of Hertfordshire · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEfficient resource distribution is important. Despite extensive research on response timings within ambulance services, nuances of time from unit dispatch to becoming available still need to be explored. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the duration between ambulance dispatch and readiness to respond to the next case according to the patients' transport decisions.

methodsTime from ambulance dispatch to availability (TDA) analysis according to the patients' transport decision (Transport versus Non-Transport) was conducted using R-Studio™ for a data set of 93,712 emergency calls managed by a Middle Eastern ambulance service from January to May 2023. Log-transformed Hazard Ratios (HR) were examined across diverse parameters. A Cox regression model was utilised to determine the influence of variables on TDA. Kaplan-Meier curves discerned potential variances in the time elapsed for both cohorts based on demographics and clinical indicators. A competing risk analysis assessed the probabilities of distinct outcomes occurring.

resultsThe median duration of elapsed TDA was 173 min for the transported patients and 73 min for those not transported. The HR unveiled Significant associations in various demographic variables. The Kaplan-Meier curves revealed variances in TDA across different nationalities and age categories. In the competing risk analysis, the 'Not Transported' group demonstrated a higher incidence of prolonged TDA than the 'Transported' group at specified time points.

conclusionsExploring TDA offers a novel perspective on ambulance services' efficiency. Though promising, the findings necessitate further exploration across diverse settings, ensuring broader applicability. Future research should consider a comprehensive range of variables to fully harness the utility of this period as a metric for healthcare excellence.

Indexed as

AmbulancesTransportation of PatientsAdolescentAdultAgedChildChild, PreschoolEmergency Medical DispatchEmergency Medical ServicesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleMiddle AgedTime Factorsambulance responseEMSnon-conveyancepre-hospitalTime to event

Identifiers

PMID38684980
PMCPMC11057082
OpenAlexW4396222144

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.