Abstract
Response time is a very important factor in determining the quality of prehospital
EMS. Our objective was to model the response by Israeli ambulances and to offer model-derived
strategies for improved deployment of ambulances to reduce response time. Using a
geographic information system (GIS), a retrospective review of computerized ambulance
call and dispatch logs was performed in two different regional districts, one large
and urban and the other rural. All calls that were pinpointed geographically by the
GIS were included, and their data were stratified by weekday and by daily shifts.
Geographic areas (polygons) of, at most, 8 minutes response time were simulated for
each of these subgroups to maximize the timely response of calls. Before using the
GIS model, mean response times in the Carmel and Lachish districts were 12.3 and 9.2
minutes, respectively, with 34% and 62% of calls responded within 8 minutes. When
ambulances were positioned within the modeled polygons, more than 94% of calls met
the 8-minute criterion. The GIS simulation model presented in this study suggests
that EMS could be more effective if a dynamic load-responsive ambulance deployment
is adopted, potentially resulting in increased survival and cost-effectiveness.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
April 23,
2003
Received:
December 15,
2002
Footnotes
☆Supported in part by grant 15/97 from the Israeli National Institute for Health Policy and Health Services Research.
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
