Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In Turkey, emergency diseases, natural disasters, accidents and injuries are frequently experienced and the number of patients per 112 emergency service station is increasing over years. Therefore, development and organization of the emergency healthcare services is a crucial issue. In this study, we aimed to examine the patients brought to emergency department by 112 Emergency Services, and to evaluate effect of demographic features of the presenting patients on the emergency service intensity of 112 ambulances when future planning of is made for emergency departments.MATERIAL & METHODS : This study is a cross-sectional study, and study population consisted of the persons brought to the emergency department (ED) of the XX University Hospital by 112 ambulance. Patients’ data were obtained from 112 emergency department ambulance form and hospital system. Sample of the study consisted of 1066 persons with complete data and who accepted to participate to the study. Data of the study were collected with a data collection form. Data were evaluated using SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics are expressed as median (min. – max.), mean ± standard deviation, frequency, and percentage. Analytic statistical analysis was performed using Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Chi-square test, Student’s t test, and Spearman correlation analysis. p< 0.05 values were considered statistically significant.RESULTS: 1066 persons included in the study, 52.3% were male and 47.7% were female. Median age was 52.0 (1.0–112.0). 44.3% of all patients were brought within working hours (09:01–16:00) The patients were most commonly brought on Saturday (15.4%). Of all patients, 0.4% were intubated and intravenous access was opened in 87.5% patients by 112 teams. Vital findings were examined in all patients. According to the preliminary diagnosis of 112 emergency ambulances, the most frequent patient group which brought by 112 ambulance was trauma patients (n=335,%31.44), second frequent group was cardiovascular system emergencies (n=169,% 15.9). There was a statistically significant, strong positive correlation between presumed diagnoses by 112, and definitive diagnoses decided after evaluation in the ED (r=0.621, p<0.001). 67.9% (n = 724) of the patients who were brought to the emergency department by 112 emergency ambulance were discharged after the first evaluation. CONCLUSION: The majority of the patients who brought by the 112 emergency ambulance were discharged. This suggests that 112 emergency ambulances are unnecessarily used. This problem can be solved by making the society aware of this issue. If it is considered that the most common diagnosis is trauma in patients who brought by 112 emergency ambulances, planning to increase the knowledge and experience of 112 emergency ambulance crew on prehospital trauma can be a good idea. While staffing the emergency services, appropriate planning can be made by considering the hours when 112 emergency ambulances are most frequently applied. The bed capacities of the departments where the most frequent service and intensive care hospitalizations are made should be observed.

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