• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.91-111
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to compare 119 emergency medical services (EMS) in South Korea and Japan to provide essential data for EMS improvement in South Korea. Methods: Recent data and regulations on firefighting and EMS in South Korea and Japan were analyzed and compared. Results: South Korea follows a centralized approach to EMS, whereas Japan operates with autonomous bodies that establish their own criteria. Japan considers more regional variables than South Korea. In South Korea, there are shortages in fire station deployment among the 119 emergency medical resources in certain regions, leading to significant regional disparities. South Korea has a larger population served by its 119 emergency medical resources with a higher workload and dispatch numbers than Japan. The percentage of non-transported patients among the total number of dispatches was higher in South Korea. Conclusion: Increasing the number of medical professionals and ambulances per population to the level of Japan to reflect local conditions and include various underlying variables such as daytime population, aging, and emergency dispatch conditions in the deployment of 119 emergency resources, and to reduce the deployment gap between regions, will contribute to improving the performance of the South Korea EMS system.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 1999

The purposes of this study which was conducted by studying the literature on Emergency Medical Dispatch System are to provide some developmental policies of quality management, pre-arrival instructions, priority dispatch protocols, training program for the dispatchers(Emergency Medical Dispatchers or EMDs) in Korea and to promote understanding emergency medical dispatching. The conclusions from this summarized as follows; (1) It is confirmed that there has been little study on the Emergency Medical Dispatch System in Korea, because for the first time, the real Emergency Medical Services were introduced into Korea in 1994, and the importance of the Emergency Medical Dispatch System has not been realized. (2) Only some squads are using a set of dispatch protocols, others aren't. (3) In spite of trying to introduce a new set of dispatch protocols, it isn't the priority dispatch system using a complete set of dispatch protocols which has key questions, pre-arrival instructions, mode & configuration based on patient assessment. (4) The EMS is unable to promote the service capacity by using quality management, because there is no medical control on the emergency medical dispatching and the EMDs. (5) There are no medical directors in the communications center who are in charge of the medical control to detect problems derived from the EMS and to solve them. (6) There are no systematic training program for the EMDs who are taking charge of dispatching. (7) Having a deep relation to the elements of the EMS, the emergency medical dispatching is subject to restriction of those elements.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2008

Purpose : It was to improve medical direction system through presenting need of doctor and paramedic in Korean Fire Service. Methods : This study was conducted by applying demand coefficients(4 for doctor, 3 or 4.5 for paramedic) to some data on medical director, paramedic, ambulance from National Emergency Management Agency. Results : Number of medical director & paramedic were 4 & 1,217. Number of necessary doctor for medical direction was 64 or 28(in case of direct medical direction) & 16 or 7(in case of indirect medical direction). Number of necessary paramedic for direct medical direction was 492(in case of 35% ALS ambulance) & 1,062(in case of 50% ALS ambulance). Conclusions : To improve quality & efficiency of medical direction brought up need of amendment of the Emergency Medical Services Act to apply indirect medical control such as standing orders, protocol, case review.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.65-79
• /
• 2007

Purpose : It was to find out demand and supply of EMT from 2007 to 2045 and to expand scope of practice of paramedic in Korea. Methods : This study was conducted by applying a projection formula to the data from admission quota for EMT of the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development, rate of successful candidates of annual report of the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board etc. Results : The number of EMTs were 6,043 paramedics, 5,378 EMT-Bs until 2006 and two produce constants derived from simple estimation were paramedic 0.81, EMT-B 0.86. On the American basis of 5.6 EMTs per 10,000, the number of paramedics under the present act will reach the basis around 2015(5.02), the number of paramedics under the amended act will reach the basis around 2030(5.50). Conclusion : There was relationship between scope of practice of paramedic in the act and demand-supply of paramedic, this necessitates surveys, studies, amendment of the act, legalization for expanded scope of practice of paramedic.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.83-93
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine potential differences in pre-hospital cases of cardiac arrest and drug Intoxication between elderly group and non-elderly group on local emergency activity sites of rescue 119 team for those cases, so that it can provide useful reference materials for a system of corresponding emergency medical services. Methods: Patients with cardiac arrest and drug intoxication in the elderly and the non-elderly group were analyzed by analyzing the Ambulance Run Report for 3 years from January 2007 to December 2009. Results: According to analysis on potential differences between elderly and the non-elderly group, it was found that there was no significant difference between elderly cases (evacuated to hospital due to cardiac arrest and drug poisoning) and non-elderly cases in year of onset (p = .247), quarter of onset (p = .813), sex (p = .235), consciousness state (p = .126), place of onset (p = .215) and number of first aid services (applied to emergency cases) respectively, but there were significant differences between elderly cases and non-elderly cases in guardian availability (p = .042), time zone of onset (p = .050), distance from the site of onset (p = .278), type of onset (p = .000), number of first aid services depending on distance of evacuation (p = .008) and effectiveness of emergency care (p = .003) on statistical basis. Conclusion: It is important to establish a system of early emergency case reports for rational emergency case management with lower mortality; shorten distance from the site of onset at each time zone of onset in emergency cases; employ more emergency team members; facilitate firsthand / secondhand medical instructions for emergency teams in specialized emergency care depending on distance of evacuation for each kind of onset (elderly group vs. non-elderly group); and improve rate of resuscitated emergency cases by extending the scope of works for emergency medical technicians into wider applications, so that it will be possible to take timely and appropriate measures for emergency settings of ever-increasing aged population in near future.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.35-48
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the rationality for and countermeasures against the use of prehospital patient restraint (PPR) techniques in efforts to limit violent behavior toward 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: Previous countermeasures to limit violent behavior toward 119 EMTs and medical personnel were focused on strict reactive and passive proactive responses. However, those in support of the countermeasures do not believe that violent and criminal behavior can be limited or extinguished by strengthening the punishment unconditionally. Results: When it comes to the far-reaching effects of stigmatization on people who engage in violent and criminal behavior, it is possible that unconditional punishment leads to more crime, increases the costs of imprisonment, and consequently, adds to the financial burden of the government. Conclusion: Thus, we are faced with an urgent need to prepare legal grounds for the use of PPR techniques by 119 EMTs for agitated or combative patients only, with direct medical oversight. Moreover, the legal foundation for the use of PPR techniques also needs to be established for emergency medical personnel. The use of PPR techniques not only ensures the safety of emergency medical services personnel, but also protects patients from injuring themselves and others.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.21-39
• /
• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data to improve pre-hospital phase emergency care for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients by analyzing AMI patients' clinical characteristics and emergency care situations. Methods : Data were collected through medical records of 385 AMI patients including ambulance records of 107 AMI patients transferred to the emergency medical center for three and a half years. Results : Regarding emergency care for AMI patients in pre-hospital phase, 47% of the care revealed moderate level or higher, and appropriateness of pre-hospital phase emergency care for cardiopulmonary complaints practiced by paramedics showed statistically significant improvement in recent years (p<.001). The time from onset of symptom to ballooning intervention by 119 emergency services was shorter than that in other cases. However, emergency care by paramedic was mainly basic life support. Conclusion : Since prognosis of AMI shows vast differences depending on prompt detection and medical intervention, cooperation between pre-hospital and in-hospital phase is highly required. 119 paramedics should be trained focusing on the accurate assessment and emergency care, and medical direction should be activated. In addition, regulation on 12-lead EKG, cardiac enzyme analysis, use of analgesics and thrombolytic agents should be legally implemented.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.19-38
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emergency medical service accessibility in different regions and the sudden death rate in elderly patients with ischemic heart disease using data analysis techniques and suggest improvements in regional emergency medical services. Methods: The study collected data from the NEDIS database and Statistics Korea. Data on a total of 75,867 patients aged ≥65 years were reviewed among patients with ischemic heart disease who visited emergency medical institutions in 2018. Frequency analysis, chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis, and simple logistic regression analysis were performed using SPSS PC Window 25.0. Results: With an emergency medical resource per 100km², there was a concomitant reduction in the risk of death. There was a decrease in the death rate by 0.967, 0.970, 0.997, and 0.391 times with the increase in the presence of a fire department, an ambulance, a paramedic, and a regional medical center, respectively. Furthermore, a decrement in the death rate was witnessed 0.844, 0.825, and 0.975 times with the initiation of a local emergency medical center, a local emergency medical institution, and an angiography device, respectively(p <.001). Conclusion: To improve the accessibility of emergency medical services, the population and geometric area of the region should be considered essential factors when deploying emergency medical resources.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.284-289
• /
• 2021

This study attempted to identify the service satisfaction with the 119 emergency service and the factors that affect it based on the responses of subjects who used the service. Data collection was conducted from February 11 to March 11, 2021, using convenience sampling. A total of 1842 subjects who used emergency medical services using 119 ambulance in 2020 participated. For the collected data, frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were calculated, and t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were performed using SPSS 23.0. Based on these results, to further enhance the satisfaction of users of the 119 emergency service and the quality of emergency medical services, it is important to improve the quality of paramedics through education and systems. In addition, to increase user satisfaction, efficient and systematic communication education is required. The quality of emergency medical services will increase only when communication skills required for explanations and promoting understanding are improved.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 2003

The purposes of this study which was conducted by applying three projection formulae to the data from admission quota for paramedic of the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development the number of ambulances the number of emergency medical centers of the Ministry of Health & Welfare and rate of successful candidates of annual report of the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board were to find out demand and supply of paramedic from 2002 to 2045 and to expand scope of practice of paramedic in Korea. The conclusions from this study were summarized as follows; (1) The simple formulae derived from the projection formula of the Economic Planning Board were applied under the present Emergency Medical Services Act including qualifying over 3-years experienced EMT-Basic for paramedic examinee, stationing paramedic or EMT-Basic or physician or nurse per ambulance, stationing paramedic or EMT-Basic per emergency medical center and under the amended Emergency Medical Services Act including qualifying only paramedic graduate for paramedic examinee, stationing 4.5 paramedics per ambulance, stationing 10 to 2 paramedics per emergency medical center. (2) It was estimated that on the American basis of 5.6 EMTs per 10,000 in 1996, the number of paramedics under the present act will reach the basis before 2020, the number of paramedics under the amended act will reach the basis about 2040. (3) It was estimated that on the basis of 22,000 paramedics demanded from the number of ambulances, the number of emergency medical centers in 2001, the number of paramedics under the present act will reach the basis before 2015, the number of paramedics under the amended act will reach the basis about 2030. (4) There was relationship between requirements for emergency medical centers scope of practice of paramedic in the act and demand-supply of paramedic, this necessitates surveys, studies, amendment of the act, legalization for expanded scope of practice of paramedic including EMD, instructor, teacher of safety. (5) This study which includes only expanded scope of practice of paramedic and projection for paramedic in the act needs complementary studies such as decision-making process in health manpower policy and so on.