SynthesisBMC emergency medicine2026
Scoping review on alternative care options for patients calling the ambulance.
Synthesis in BMC emergency medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe modern-day population with more chronic, complex medical and social comorbidities is increasing ambulance utilisation and conveyance to emergency departments (ED). This contributes to ambulance ramping, ED overcrowding and increased hospital bed utilisation. This scoping review aims to identify alternative care paths for patients calling for ambulance services.
methodsA total of 4902 articles were identified through four databases and the gray literature. The terms 'paramedic', 'ambulance' and 'non-conveyance', 'alternative' and 'community care' were combined to yield the search terms. The population studied includes individuals calling the national emergency number while the intervention focuses on prehospital services designed to avoid ED conveyance. Independent researchers screened the titles, abstracts and full texts, yielding 59 relevant articles which were then meta-synthesised.
resultsFive themes of care were identified - hear and treat, hear and refer, see and treat, see and refer and see and convey to a non-ED facility. Low-acuity patients, older patients, palliative and psychiatric patients, as well as those facing exacerbation of chronic conditions, alcoholic and frequent attenders appear to benefit from these alternative care service pathways (ACSPs). Allied health professionals such as nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists collaborate with paramedics to frontload the care of these patients in the prehospital setting. Alternative conveyance destinations include general practices, geriatric wards, toxicology units, sobering centres and community hospitals.
conclusionsImplementing ACSPs and integrating healthcare approaches to enhance service efficiency and patient outcomes can alleviate pressure on emergency services by providing timely care and directing patients to appropriate services.
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Registered trials
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.