• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.113-123
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• 2007

This study analyzed the appropriateness of the spatial distribution of fire stations and emergency medical facilities, the main providers of emergency medical care, in Busan. The area over which the 119 emergency medical services were situated in relation to the dispatch and transport of urgent rescue services was examined. Addresses of patients requiring 119 emergency services were obtained and stored as individual units so that they could be analyzed in a Geographic Information System(GIS). The time taken by emergency services to reach patients and transport them to a hospital or other facility was measured in seconds. By inputting additional information such as the location of the 119 dispatch centers, jurisdictions, and emergency medical facilities, the GIS allowed for analyses not only of the temporal but also the spatial aspects of emergency medical services. The results showed that of 16 Gu/Gun and 226 Eup/Myen/Dong in the Busan area, only 41% of Busan's emergency medical services could respond to and transport patients within five minutes. In all districts, most emergency medical services were provided within five to ten minutes. However, the pattern of hospital use to transfer patients to hospitals was inefficient. Based on the temporal and spatial distributions of fire stations and emergency medical agencies, and on their dispatch and transport times, this study sets out and compares ideal dispatch and transportation patterns for the efficient use of Busan's emergency medical services and resources.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2011.12a
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• pp.185-188
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• 2011

병원 전 단계에서는 일반인 단계, 일차 반응자 단계, 기초응급의료 제공 단계 그리고 전문응급의료 제공단계로 구분되는데 각 단계의 적절한 병원 전 응급의료 서비스의 제공은 환자의 예후에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나 국내의 일반인 단계 및 일차 반응자 단계의 응급의료 제공은 매우 낮은수준이며, 응급의료체계는 전문 응급의료가 뒤따르지 않는 기초 응급의료만을 제공할 뿐인데도 그 적절성에 대하여 많은 문제점이 지적되어 오고 있다. 우리나라의 병원 전 응급의료체계는 비교적 짧은 기간 동안에 소방서를 축으로 운영되고 있다. 병원 전 단계에서 응급처치의 적절성을 높이기 위해서는 119구급대에 의한 응급처치에 대하여 체계적으로 조사를 수행함으로써 기초 응급의료에 대한 지속적인 질 관리를 해 나가는 것이 매우 중요하다. 이러한 질 관리의 평가를 위해서는 적절한 평가도구가 필요한데 객관성이 높으면서도 비용-효과적인 도구와 지표는 아직 확립되지 못하고 있는 것으로 보인다. 그동안 119 구급대에 의한 응급처치의 적절성에 대하여 몇 차례 보고가 있었지만, 단일 기관 또는 단일 질병을 대상으로 수행된 연구였거나 일개 응급의료기관으로 이송된 환자들만을 대상으로 했던 비교적 소규모의 보고들이었으며, 한 도시를 전체를 대상으로 한 광범위한 조사가 이루어진 적은 아직 없었다. 이에 이 연구에서는 대구 경북 지역의 119구급대원을 대상으로 병원 전 응급처치의 실태와 및 교육현황을 조사하여 응급처치의 질적 향상을 위한 프로그램 개발에 필요한 기초 자료를 제공하고자 한다.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.33-46
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the appointment status of medical directors and the state of direct medical oversight in private ambulance services, including an analysis of the characteristics of the direct medical oversight requested by private ambulance services. Methods: This study investigated the appointment status of medical directors and direct medical oversight in private ambulance services based on official information disclosed by the National Emergency Medical Center and 17 local governments, along with 8,119 'Dispatch and Treatment Records' collected by a university hospital from 2020 to 2022. Results: Among 129 private ambulance services, 96.12% (124 agencies) had only one medical director, and 43.8% of the medical directors were Emergency Physicians. Over the past three years, the national average direct medical oversight request rate for private ambulance services was 34.68%. In 11.14% of the cases, records stated that EMS providers communicated with the medical director but did not receive direct medical oversight. Conversely, in 36.98% of cases, records incorrectly indicated that EMS providers did not communicate with the medical director but were noted as having received direct medical oversight (p<.05). Most private ambulance services request the direct medical oversight of a single director. Conclusion: This study highlights issues, such as the suitability of the medical director's specialty and inaccuracies in private EMS providers' methods for documenting Dispatch and Treatment Records.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2003

An analysis was performed to evaluate the prehospital advanced emergency care in Emergency Medical Service system(EMS) through the review of the 119 transfort chart of 190 patients who visited to Jecheon Seoul hospital emergency center at Chungbuk Jecheon via 119 system during the period from October 2002 to September 2003. The results were obtained as follows: 1. Among 190 patients, male were 127(66.8%) and female were 63(33.2%) and nontraumatic patients were 81(42.6%) and traumatic patients were 109(57.4%). 2. The analysis of prehospital care by Emergency Medical Technician(EMT) revealed that Airway maintenance and keeping oral airway(37.7%), oxygen supply(75.9%), Tourniquett or MAST(18.9%), Immobilization of neck or spine(94.7%), Immobilization of extremities (51.4%), wound bandage and dressing(25.0%), BCLS(12.1%) and Application of AED(2 patients). 3. The analysis of prehospital care by EMT revealed prehospital care was limited to keep of intubation or LMA, medication and IV insertion, insertion of gastric tube and ACLS. 4. There was no case of the notification to medical institute or consultation to doctor.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.21-31
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• 2011

This study aimed at evaluating and developing 119 emergency medical technicians' prehospital care for non-traumatic cardiac arrest. Total 322 EMT in Chungnam province and Daejeon city filled out the self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 for descriptive statistics. Among the 322 EMT, 309 (97%) and 169(53%) always or almost performed CPR and AED for nontraumatic cardiac arrest patient, respectively. Among the advanced EMT and nurse, IV were sometimes or not performed at 94.7% and medication including epinephrine which commonly used for survival of cardiac arrest were treated just at 9.3 % (14 person). The reason they did not perform each procedure for airway management, AED or IV was lack of manpower, limit of time or joggle of ambulance and legal restrictions. In conclusion, to increase survival rate of non-traumatic cardiac arrest in out-of-hospital, it is necessary to increase manpower, legal protection of EMS, establishment of standard operating procedure, practice for improvement technique and use of medication for ACLS.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.7-24
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• 2020

Purpose: Emergency medical service (EMS) personnel are at high risk of spreading infection. In this study, we used the PRECEDE model to identify the knowledge, status, and barriers to infection control among Korean paramedics to provide basic infection control data. Methods: A total of 164 respondents were analyzed for the study. A questionnaire was administered and collected through an online self-response platform. Descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression, and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine infection control practices and associated factors using SAS 9.4. To identify the pathways and direct, indirect, total effects based on the PRECEDE model, we used AMOS 26.0. Results: Highly rated self-efficacy (OR 8.82, 95% CI: 3.23-24.09), awareness (OR 6.05, 95% CI: 2.06-17.72), and enabling factors (OR 3.23, 95% CI: 1.18-8.78) led to superior infection control. As a result of the structural model analysis, the highly rated enabling factors and awareness led to superior practice patterns. Conclusion: Practice is related to self-efficacy, awareness, and enabling factors; however, further research is needed to develop strategies for infection control. In particular, institutional arrangements are needed to improve the enabling factors. Improving infection control performance may lead to better infection control and enhanced protection of EMS personnel and patients against infection risks.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.109-115
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• 2022

During emergencies, the time from symptom onset to definitive treatment determines the final outcome. Therefore, the emergency medical service (EMS) system in Korea, aims to transfer patients requiring emergency care to appropriate medical facilities within 30 minutes. This is in an attempt to improve the chances of survival and reduce sequelae. We attempted to locate areas vulnerable to prehospital transportation and identify hot spots with high demand for emergency medical helicopters in Jeju, by using a grid-based geospatial analysis. This retrospective cross-sectional observational study employed EMS data of 119 ambulance run sheets spanning from January 1, 2010 to September 30, 2018 in Jeju. The location data of emergency patients was superimposed on the spatial analysis frame using the geographic information system (GIS). Subsequently, the locations of long-distance transfer and delayed transfers to the hospital were analyzed, to identify hot spots where the demand for helicopter emergency services would be high. Of the total analysis targets, 42.2% (20,288 people) took more than 30 minutes from reporting to 119 dispatchers to hospital transfer. As the transfer time interval increased, the patient occurrence time increased in the city of Jeju, increased in Seogwipo, and the ratio of patients/guardians to select a transfer hospital rose with significant differences. This study identified the characteristics related to time delays in prehospital transfer of emergency patients in Jeju, and the areas vulnerable to prehospital emergency care were derived and visualized through spatial analysis using the GIS.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.105-124
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• 2023

Modern society is facing an unstable environment due to unexpected accidents and hazardous situations. For example, incidents such as the collapse of the Bundang Bridge and the crushing accident in Itaewon could serve as examples. In addition to these, critical emergencies like sudden cardiac arrests and strokes frequently occur, requiring swift actions and smooth transfers to specialized medical institutions for effective responses. In response to these risks, the country has been establishing various systems to protect the lives and safety of its citizens. Among these, the 119 First Aid Activities plays a crucial role within the emergency medical system. Its goal is to promptly respond to critical emergency situations involving severe trauma patients or patients with serious illnesses, minimizing damage and safeguarding lives by swiftly transferring them to emergency medical institutions for specialized treatment. The core activity related to this is emergency rescue operations. In particular, the 119 First Aid system serves as a crucial institution responsible for the hospital transportation of emergency patients. However, rescue personnel still encounter cases of interference with their activities during their duties. Despite efforts from the police, these interference cases persist, and they share similarities with the crime of obstructing official duties. Interference with emergency activities exhibits a comparable nature to instances such as physical assaults and equipment damage against emergency medical practitioners working within the emergency medical system. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding and improvement efforts regarding the issues of interference that arise during the process of emergency medical activities, including the 119 First Aid system, are necessary. The solution to these problems is to establish and improve the conditions for obstruction of first aid activities, focusing on the "Framework Act on Firefighting" and the "Act on 119 Rescue and Emergency."

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2021

Purpose: Despite the fact that emergency medical centers (ED) are used by emergency patients, more than 50% of non-emergency patients have been reported to be admitted in EDs, of which more than 10% of them used the 119 ambulance. Therefore, this study investigated whether there was a change in the severity of patients visiting EDs during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who visited the ED through the 119 ambulance in 2019 (13,735) and 2020 (11,015). Patient data were analyzed using the medical information system. Results: There was an increase in non-emergency patients at the emergency departments (KTAS levels 4-5) in 2020 with a rate of 58.0% (6,393), as compared to the 2019 data with a rate of 44.9% (6,169). However, the 2020 median length of stay in the emergency department was 188 minutes (IQR: 0-5,909minutes) (p=.000), which was decreased as compared to the 2019 median length of stay of 231 minutes (IQR: 5-6,211minutes) (p=.003). Conclusion: Providing emergency ambulance guidelines for selecting proper hospitals and educating patients to refrain from using the ED for non-emergency patients should be taken into consideration to prevent overcrowding and construct a more effective emergency medical system (EMS).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2018

A 59-year-old man with no specific medical or family history complained of chest pain and became unconscious. A member of his family, who was a witness, called 119 and gave him dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, followed by defibrillation using an automated external defibrillator placed in his apartment. Afterward, he was given two sessions of defibrillation by the 119 emergency squad, then transferred to an emergency medical center with the return of spontaneous circulation. The patient was discharged with cerebral performance category (CPC) 1 15 days later. While dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation is at its beginning stage in South Korea, this case seems to demonstrate its effectiveness. Moreover, this case suggests it can be particularly useful for helping untrained witnesses use an automated external defibrillator, which may have important implications in regions in which there are delayed responses of the 119 emergency squad to the site. It is also important to develop a plan for improving witness access to and quantitative supply of the South Korean public access defibrillation (PAD) program.