Relationship Between Nonconveyed Cases and On-Scene Time Intervals for Emergency Medical Services

Abstract

Purpose

Emergency medical service (EMS) consumption is increasing worldwide. Some EMS cases in Saudi Arabia result in nonconveyance of patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between nonconveyed EMS cases and on-scene time intervals in Riyadh EMS centers.

Methods

Nonrandomized retrospective data obtained from EMS providers of nonconveyed emergency cases were gathered and analyzed. Data were taken from the ten busiest EMS centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January 1 to April 30, 2019. Analyses of means ± SD, bivariate comparisons, multivariate analysis, CI correlations, and regressionwere performed.

Results

Categories of nonconveyed cases were “Treatment given at the scene” V1 = 66, “Refused by patient/relative” (V2 = 876), “Patient not found” (V3 = 67), “Dead patient” (V4 = 80”, “Other (police, etc)” (V5 = 34), and NA (96). We found highly significant differences (p<0.001) among several categories of nonconveyed cases and on-scene time intervals among EMS centers.

Conclusion

This study found that there were highly significant differences among several categories of nonconveyed cases in relation to on-scene time intervals for different EMS centers. Results indicated that the probability of nonconveyance decisions was more likely to increase in the categories “Refused by patient/relative,” “Patient not found,” and “Dead patient.” The results did not reveal details of what happened on scene during or after the nonconveyance decision had been made, which needs to be investigated.

Keywords:

• nonconveyed cases
• on-scene time interval
• emergency medical service paramedics

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by PSCEMS, Deanship of Scientific Research, KSU, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to which we are grateful. The author also extends thanks to the PSCEMS students for their participation in this study, s the Saudi Red Crescent, and Hira Shams for her manipulation, interpretation, and analysis of the data.

Disclosure

The author confirms that there is no conflicts of interest.