Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway
Abstract Background First responders exist in several countries and have been a prehospital emergency medical resource in Norwegian municipalities since 2010. However, the Norwegian system has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to describe the first responder system in Central Norway an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-024-01316-9 |
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| author | Andreas Lindeman Lars Eide Næss Lars Vesterhus Ann-Britt Maude Bakken Andreas Krüger Helge Haugland |
| author_facet | Andreas Lindeman Lars Eide Næss Lars Vesterhus Ann-Britt Maude Bakken Andreas Krüger Helge Haugland |
| author_sort | Andreas Lindeman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background First responders exist in several countries and have been a prehospital emergency medical resource in Norwegian municipalities since 2010. However, the Norwegian system has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to describe the first responder system in Central Norway and how it is used as a supplement to emergency medical services (EMS). Methods We described incidents with dispatch of first responders in the catchment area of the Emergency Medical Communication Center of Sør-Trøndelag in Central Norway, using retrospective data recorded in the Norwegian Emergency Medical Information System between 2019 and 2023. Results First responders were dispatched to 460 incidents during the period. Of these, 441/460 (96%) incidents were assessed as “acute”, and 135/460 (29%) were assessed as possible cardiac arrests. Four large rural municipalities accounted for 234/460 (51%) of the incidents. One in four patients, 112/449 (25%), died within 30 days. EMS had a median response time of 29 min in our sample. Conclusion First responders are almost exclusively dispatched to high-severity incidents, with suspected cardiac arrest being the most common dispatch criteria. Our findings suggest that the first responder system contributes to rapid response in cases of acute illness and injury, especially in rural areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-592fd6e02de04ada8238f726a638c0d4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1757-7241 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-592fd6e02de04ada8238f726a638c0d42025-01-26T12:50:01ZengBMCScandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine1757-72412025-01-013311710.1186/s13049-024-01316-9Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central NorwayAndreas Lindeman0Lars Eide Næss1Lars Vesterhus2Ann-Britt Maude Bakken3Andreas Krüger4Helge Haugland5Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)Department of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav’s University HospitalDepartment of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav’s University HospitalDepartment of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance FoundationDepartment of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav’s University HospitalDepartment of Emergency Medicine and Pre-Hospital Services, St. Olav’s University HospitalAbstract Background First responders exist in several countries and have been a prehospital emergency medical resource in Norwegian municipalities since 2010. However, the Norwegian system has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to describe the first responder system in Central Norway and how it is used as a supplement to emergency medical services (EMS). Methods We described incidents with dispatch of first responders in the catchment area of the Emergency Medical Communication Center of Sør-Trøndelag in Central Norway, using retrospective data recorded in the Norwegian Emergency Medical Information System between 2019 and 2023. Results First responders were dispatched to 460 incidents during the period. Of these, 441/460 (96%) incidents were assessed as “acute”, and 135/460 (29%) were assessed as possible cardiac arrests. Four large rural municipalities accounted for 234/460 (51%) of the incidents. One in four patients, 112/449 (25%), died within 30 days. EMS had a median response time of 29 min in our sample. Conclusion First responders are almost exclusively dispatched to high-severity incidents, with suspected cardiac arrest being the most common dispatch criteria. Our findings suggest that the first responder system contributes to rapid response in cases of acute illness and injury, especially in rural areas.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-024-01316-9First respondersEmergency medical servicesHealth careDescriptive studiesHealth care preparednessQuality of care |
| spellingShingle | Andreas Lindeman Lars Eide Næss Lars Vesterhus Ann-Britt Maude Bakken Andreas Krüger Helge Haugland Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine First responders Emergency medical services Health care Descriptive studies Health care preparedness Quality of care |
| title | Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway |
| title_full | Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway |
| title_fullStr | Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway |
| title_short | Improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care: a descriptive study of the first responder system in Central Norway |
| title_sort | improving preparedness for time critical prehospital care a descriptive study of the first responder system in central norway |
| topic | First responders Emergency medical services Health care Descriptive studies Health care preparedness Quality of care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-024-01316-9 |
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