An Analysis on the Patient Transported via 119 System

Kim, Yong Kweon; Ryoo, Jin Ho; Moon, Won Sik; Chun, Byong Jo; Heo, Tag; Min, Yong Il

Abstract

An analysis was performed to evaluate the problems in Emegency Medical Service System(EMSS) through the review of the 119 transport chart of 1,229 patients who visited to emergency center of Chonnam University Hospital via 119 system during the period from January 1998 to December 1998. The results were obtained as follows: 1) 1,229(4.9%) of the 25,253 patients were transported to emergency center via 119 system. Among 1.229 patients, male were 691(56%) and female 538(44%), and nontraumatic patients were 946(77%) and traumatic patients 283(23%). The peak age was 5th to 6th decades. 2) Mean arrival time to scene(ambulance response time) was 4.8 +/-.8minutes and mean arrival time to hospital 19.6 +/-0.1minutes. In the distribution of the requested place for ambulance, 73% was house and 23% was field. 3) In the severity of patients, 154(12.5%) patients were classified into emergent, 442(36%) into urgent, and 633(51.5%) into non-emergent. Among 1,229 patients, number of patients admitted were 419cases(34.1%), operated 85(6.9%), discharged in emergency department 536(43.6%), dead 70(5.7%), and transferred 119(9.7%), respectively. 4) The assessment of prehospital treatment by Emergency Medical Technician(EMT) revealed that checking the vital sign was only 49.5%, and prehospital care was limited to airway management, O2 inhalation and immobilization. There was no case of the notification to medical institute or the consultation to doctor. These results show that over the half of patients transported to level III emergency center via 119 system were classified into non-emergent and the prehospital management of the patient by EMT was not adequate. This study suggests the need of more simple and objective triage guideline for patient transport, the improvement of prehospital care system, and reconstruction of the computerized communication system.