Abstract
Objectives: To determine if an on‐line information system is superior to a conventional ambulance file system regarding the possibility of retrieving information as follow‐up in daily use and also with reference to disaster situations. Materials and methods: The study was designed as a prospective study where two systems that have been operational for several years were compared. One system was a system primarily built for on‐line registration and the other a conventional ambulance file system. Results: In all aspects data regarding ambulance missions and patients were more thoroughly registered in the conventional file system. Also data were easier to retrieve with less time consumption compared to the on‐line system. Conclusion: The on‐line information system studied was less accurate for storing and retrieving information than a conventional ambulance file system. Thus, more technical development is needed before this on‐line system can be recommended for use in major incidents or disasters.