Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study
Abstract Background Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems benef...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4 |
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| author | Natascha H Bohnstedt-Pedersen Gitte Linderoth Barbara Helios Helle C Christensen Britta K Thomsen Lisbeth Bekker Jannie K B Gram Ulla Vaeggemose Tine B Gehrt |
| author_facet | Natascha H Bohnstedt-Pedersen Gitte Linderoth Barbara Helios Helle C Christensen Britta K Thomsen Lisbeth Bekker Jannie K B Gram Ulla Vaeggemose Tine B Gehrt |
| author_sort | Natascha H Bohnstedt-Pedersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems beneficial for patient assessment and dispatcher-assisted first aid. However, the EMS dispatchers’ experiences with and perceptions of using video during emergency calls are largely unexplored. Methods In 2023, a nationwide survey study was conducted in Denmark, which is covered by five Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers. All Danish EMS dispatchers were invited to participate in the study. The survey explored the dispatchers’ experience with using video during emergency calls, the perception of their own video use, and the process of implementing video as a new tool in their working procedure. Main questions were answered on a scale from 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate more agreement. Results Of the 183 EMS dispatchers employed during the study period, 78% completed the survey. They found video easy to use (median = 7) and found video supportive in guidance and dispatch when the patient’s problem was unclear (median = 7), but did not find video suitable for all emergency calls and expressed that complications with the technology was a barrier for using video. The EMS dispatchers were least likely to agree that they choose not to use video due to the risk of being emotionally affected by what they might see (median = 1). When dividing the sample based on EMS dispatcher’s gender, age, seniority, and educational background, generally few differences between groups were found. Conclusions Live video during emergency calls is generally experienced as a useful supplemental tool by EMS dispatchers in Denmark, and the greatest self-perceived barriers for using video were not finding video suitable for all situations and the technology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2a9d22ed3fa44381b10011b82bbca1e1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-2a9d22ed3fa44381b10011b82bbca1e12024-11-24T12:16:26ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632024-11-0124111210.1186/s12913-024-11939-4Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire studyNatascha H Bohnstedt-Pedersen0Gitte Linderoth1Barbara Helios2Helle C Christensen3Britta K Thomsen4Lisbeth Bekker5Jannie K B Gram6Ulla Vaeggemose7Tine B Gehrt8Department of Research & Development, Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Central Denmark RegionCopenhagen Emergency Medical Services, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen Emergency Medical Services, University of CopenhagenZealand Emergency Medical Services, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of CopenhagenZealand Emergency Medical ServicesZealand Emergency Medical ServicesEmergency Medical Services, North Denmark RegionDepartment of Research & Development, Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Central Denmark RegionDepartment of Research & Development, Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Central Denmark RegionAbstract Background Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems beneficial for patient assessment and dispatcher-assisted first aid. However, the EMS dispatchers’ experiences with and perceptions of using video during emergency calls are largely unexplored. Methods In 2023, a nationwide survey study was conducted in Denmark, which is covered by five Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers. All Danish EMS dispatchers were invited to participate in the study. The survey explored the dispatchers’ experience with using video during emergency calls, the perception of their own video use, and the process of implementing video as a new tool in their working procedure. Main questions were answered on a scale from 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate more agreement. Results Of the 183 EMS dispatchers employed during the study period, 78% completed the survey. They found video easy to use (median = 7) and found video supportive in guidance and dispatch when the patient’s problem was unclear (median = 7), but did not find video suitable for all emergency calls and expressed that complications with the technology was a barrier for using video. The EMS dispatchers were least likely to agree that they choose not to use video due to the risk of being emotionally affected by what they might see (median = 1). When dividing the sample based on EMS dispatcher’s gender, age, seniority, and educational background, generally few differences between groups were found. Conclusions Live video during emergency calls is generally experienced as a useful supplemental tool by EMS dispatchers in Denmark, and the greatest self-perceived barriers for using video were not finding video suitable for all situations and the technology.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4Emergency Medical ServiceEMS dispatcherEmergency Medical DispatchTelephone triageTelemedicineTelehealth |
| spellingShingle | Natascha H Bohnstedt-Pedersen Gitte Linderoth Barbara Helios Helle C Christensen Britta K Thomsen Lisbeth Bekker Jannie K B Gram Ulla Vaeggemose Tine B Gehrt Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study BMC Health Services Research Emergency Medical Service EMS dispatcher Emergency Medical Dispatch Telephone triage Telemedicine Telehealth |
| title | Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study |
| title_full | Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study |
| title_fullStr | Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study |
| title_short | Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study |
| title_sort | medical dispatchers experience with live video during emergency calls a national questionnaire study |
| topic | Emergency Medical Service EMS dispatcher Emergency Medical Dispatch Telephone triage Telemedicine Telehealth |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4 |
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