Use of Emergency Medical Services: Experience 100 Days after First Case of COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The spread of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), emergency medical services (EMS) work flow to be different from the normal situation such as avoid advanced airways management that perform aerosol generating. However, no studies examining EMS operation have been conducted at Srinagarind Hospital. Objective: To compare EMS operation time and procedures during COVID-19 spreading and routine period. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study examined all cases in which EMS were dispatched from Srinagarind Hospital during 13th January to 21st April 2020 compared with last year. Data were collected from the Srinagarind Hospital EMS operation database and hospital information database system. Results: Five hundred forty-five EMS operations were examined. The mean age of the patients in 2020 was 50.4+6.2 years, and 70.9% (n = 195) were male. The average times from 1669 center call receipt to arrival on scene (response time) for 2019 and 2020 were 12.44+4.12 minutes and 7.32+2.40 minutes, respectively (p = 0.016). The nebulizer mask procedure was performed in 16.1% of cases in 2019 group compared with 7.1% in the 2020 group (p<0.001). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand effect EMS operation in age group of patients, operation time, type of patients, response time and procedures in airway and breathing. Keywords: COVID-19, Emergency medical services, Prehospital emergency care, Response time