Emergency Medical Teams in ASEAN Region - Challenges for Global EMT Classification

Abstract

Introduction:Quality assurance of Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) is a world concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) published an international guideline for EMTs in 2013 and started the global EMT classification, a quality assurance program for EMTs, in 2015. There are 16 classified EMTs in the world as of October 2018. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is a disaster-prone area. Therefore, the need for EMTs is relatively high. However, there is no classified EMT in the ASEAN region. Factors that prevent the global classification of EMTs in the ASEAN region are unknown.Aim:The objective of this study was to analyze the inhibitory factors of the global EMT classification in the ASEAN region.Methods:A questionnaire survey was taken to the 10 national groups of ASEAN countries. Each group consisted of EMT-related personnel. They were 39 participants for the third AMS Training of the ARCH Project held in May 2018. 10 national groups were asked to answer whether governmental EMT of their country is able to meet the criteria for the EMT global classification. The criteria were written in the WHO-provided minimum standard self-assessment checklist for the Type 1 fixed EMT.Results:Among 39 categories in the self-assessment checklist, 5 were the most difficult categories to meet the criteria: [Core Standards] Self-sufficiency, Sanitation, and Waste Management; Indemnity and Malpractice; [Technical Standards] Logistics; EMT Capacity.Discussion:There are some limitations to the study. Non-governmental EMTs were not covered. Participants of the training were not at the official EMT focal point for the global EMT classification. Logistical requirements may be inhibitory factors of the global EMT classification in the ASEAN region.