Objective:
This study aimed to assess the response time of the emergency medical services (EMS) at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted at KSUMC emergency department. The study included all records of emergency calls that required ambulance dispatch during the study period. Data on the times they received the call, dispatched the ambulance, arrived at the scene, left the scene, and arrived at the hospital were collected. Each call was examined to assess if it took place during normal working hours (08:00-16:00) or within 30 minutes of shift changes (08:00, 16:00, and 00:00).
Results:
Of all the calls received, 288 (61.7%) were made during regular working hours (08:00-16:00), while 47 (10.1%) were made during the turning shifts (30 minutes before or after the shift). The median time from receiving the call to dispatch, from receiving the call to arrival at the scene, from dispatch to hospital arrival, and the scene time was 1 minute, 7 minutes, 24 minutes, and 10 minutes, respectively. The response and transportation times for emergency responders were consistent whether the calls were received during shift changes or at other times. The differences in mean rank were not statistically significant (P-values = 0.404 and 0.262, respectively).
Conclusion:
The EMS team at KSUMC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, responded quickly. The median times between receiving a call and arriving at the scene, as well as the median scene time, were found to be adequate.
Key words: Emergency response, EMS, paramedics, response time, scene time.
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