| Autor: |
Laukkanen, L. (Lauri), Lahtinen, S. (Sanna), Liisanantti, J. (Janne), Kaakinen, T. (Timo), Ehrola, A. (Ari), Raatiniemi, L. (Lasse) |
| Jazyk: |
angličtina |
| Rok vydání: |
2021 |
| Předmět: |
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| Popis: |
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a major impact on health care services globally. Recent studies report that emergency departments have experienced a significant decline in the number of admitted patients in the early phase of the pandemic. To date, research regarding the influence of COVID-19 on emergency medical services (EMS) is limited. This study investigates a change in the number and characteristics of EMS missions in the early phase of the pandemic. Methods: All EMS missions in the Northern Ostrobothnia region, Finland (population 295 500) between 1 March to 30 June 2020 were screened and analyzed as the study group. A control group was composed from the EMS calls between the corresponding months in the years 2016–19. Results: A total of 74 576 EMS missions were screened for the study. Within the first 2 months after the first COVID-19 cases in the study area, the decline in the number of EMS missions was 5.7–13% compared with the control group average. EMS time intervals (emergency call to dispatch, dispatch, en-route, on-scene and hospital handover) prolonged in the COVID-19 period. Dispatches concerning mental health problems increased most in the study period (+1.2%, P |
| Databáze: |
OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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