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PRE‐HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE: EVALUATION OF AN AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM
Author(s) -
BJORKLÜND P.,
O'ROURKE M. F.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1984.tb03607.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ambulance service , resuscitation , emergency medicine , myocardial infarction , medical emergency , general hospital , cardiac resuscitation , emergency medical services
The efficacy of the Sydney ambulance paramedic service in dealing with out‐of‐hospital cardiac and other emergencies was examined. The outcome of 182 cases (from a total of 1,799 casualty calls) treated by a paramedic service was compared with the outcome of 104 similar cases (from a total of 2,376 calls) treated by a general duties service. There were 33 cases of cardiac arrest in the general duties group; resuscitation was attempted in 12 and none survived. There were 49 cases of cardiac arrest in the paramedic group; resuscitation was attempted in 21 cases and 4 survived. There were 35 cases of suspected myocardial infarction in the general duties group; 7 died compared with 58 cases and 4 deaths, in the paramedic group (mortality 20%, cf . 7%; difference not significant). The increased cost of a paramedic call, less than half of an entire hospital day, appears justified by better results.