• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.20-32
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• 1999

The purpose of this retrospective research of 603 patients who were transferred to the emergency medical center of university hospital from 1 Jan, 1998 to 31 Jan, 1998 was making of basic data for emergency medical transfer system improvement countermeasure and the point at issue of overlapping reexamination ststus of patients transfered to emergency medical center of university hospital from 1,2 level hospital. The data analysis was done by SPSS, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation. The results were as follows: 1. Male to female ratio was 1.7:1 and peak age group was patients over forties and under nine years of age(70.5%) 2. Traumatic patients were 17.8%, motor vehicle accident patients were 16.7% and Non-traumatic patients were 65.3%. Transferring hospital was divided into 2groups: primary hospital, secondary hospital. The majority was secondary hospital(73.3%). The result of symptom severity classification of patients transferred to 3rd emergency medical center was urgent patients 32.5%, emergency patients 33.58%, non-emergency patients 34.0% 3. Most highest score items amoung overlapping reexamination of patients transfered to emergency medical center of university hospital from 1,2 level hospital were CBC test, simple X-ray (0.93점), CBC test(0.97점), urin test(0.88점), chemistry test(0.94점), simple X-ray(0.98점), CT(0.42점), EKG(0.89점) amoung overlapping reexamination of motor vehicle accident patients were more higher reexamination score than traumatic patients and non-traumatic patients 4. CBC test(P<0.001), urin test(P<0.001), chemistry test(P<0.001), simple X-ray(P<0.001), CT(P<0.01), EKG(P<0.001) amoung overlapping reexamination of patients in 2 level hospital were more higher reexamination score than 1 level hospital patients 5. About symptom severity classification of patients transferred to 3rd emergency medical center, CBC test(P<0.001), urin test(P<0.001), chemistry test(P<0.001), simple X-ray(P<0.01), CT(P<0.001), EKG(P<0.001) amoung overlapping reexamination items in urgent patients were more higher reexamination score than other patients 6. Influencing variation for overlapping reexamination in hospital was CBC test(P<0.001), CT (P<0.001), MRI (P<0.05).

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.465-473
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• 2018

Objective: We evaluated the clinical characteristics and prognoses of patients with septic shock who transferred to the emergency department (ED) in a tertiary referral center. Methods: This study was performed using a prospective, multi-center registry of septic shock, with the participation of 11 tertiary referral centers in the Korean Shock Society between October 2015 and February 2017. We classified the patients as a transferred group who transferred from other hospitals after meeting the inclusion criteria upon ED arrival and a non-transferred group who presented directly to the ED. Primary outcome was hospital mortality. We conducted multiple logistic regression analysis to assess variables related to in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 2,098 patients were included, and we assigned 717 patients to the transferred group and 1,381 patients to the non-transferred group. The initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was higher in the transferred group than the non-transferred group (6; interquartile range [IQR], 4-9 vs. 6; IQR, 4-8; P<0.001). Mechanical ventilator (29% vs. 21%, P<0.001) and renal replacement therapy (12% vs. 9%, P=0.034) within 24 hours after ED arrival were more frequently applied in the transferred group than the non-transferred group. Overall hospital mortality was 22% and there was no significant difference between transferred and non-transferred groups (23% vs. 22%, P=0.820). Multivariable analysis showed an odds ratio for in-hospital mortality of 1.00 (95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.28; P=0.999) for the transferred group compared with the non-transferred group. Conclusion: The transferred group showed higher severity and needed more organ support procedures than the non-transferred group. However, inter-hospital transfer did not affect in-hospital mortality.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.145-151
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• 2012

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the appropriateness of Emergency Medical Service's (EMS's) triage and transport of severely injured patients in Busan and Kyungnam, Korea. Methods: The medical records of the Emergency Medical Information Center were retrospectively reviewed from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. We identified the number of patients that should have been transferred from a secondary to a tertiary hospital according to the EMS field triage protocol. Results: In a total of 472 cases requests to be transferred to a third hospital were made through the Emergency Medical Information Center. Of these, 207 patients(43.9%) should have been transferred to a tertiary hospital according to the EMS field triage protocol. Among them, thirty-three(15.9%) patients satisfied step 1, 15(7.0%) satisfied step 2, and 117(56.5%) satisfied step 3. Twenty-three(11.1%) patients satisfied both steps 1 and 3. Conclusion: We found the triage by the EMS in the transfer of severely injured patients to a tertiary hospital to be inappropriate and re-education of EMS personnel regarding the EMS field triage protocol is needed. Because many patients are transferred from a secondary to a third hospital, we suggest changing the EMS field triage protocol to expand the severe injury criteria. A need exists to authorize secondary hospitals to transfer severely injured patients directly because there are no trauma centers in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.177-198
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• 2001

The purpose of this research which was conducted by surveying the transfer consultation records from 360 medical institutions such as general hospitals, hospitals, clinics to the Emergency Medical Center at E University Hospital for six months(Jan. 1, 2000 - Jun. 30, 2000) are to standardize & complete transfer consultation record of hospitals at the 1st & 2nd referral level and to give patients transferred emergency medical center medical information services on a better quality. The conclusions and suggestions from this study were summarized as follows; (1) Examing the distribution of the referral medical consultation(transfer) sheet type, surgery part local clinic sheet types were 34.4%, medical part local clinic sheet types were 26.7%, undifferentiated local clinic sheet types were 23.9% and hospital level sheet types were 15.0%. (2) The items of the transfer consultation records had been standardized more than 75% in the order of patient's name, date, doctor's name, diagnosis, patient's status, impressions. (3) That the degree of recording completion on these items is in the order of patient's name, date, diagnosis, impressions was revealed. (4) Because the standardization and the degree of recording completion are very low in the patient's gender, age, address, electronic recording system was needed for more perfect input of initial patient informations. (5) This standardizing & complete recording on examination and medication will prevent re-examination and abuse of medication for patients transferred emergency medical center. (6) EMT Transfer System should be fixed in all medical institute for the standardizing & complete recording on care period and departure time will give many emergency patients the proper treatments at the proper time. (7) It was revealed that developing new standardized transfer consultation record & using electronic recording system are needed. (8) The complete recording & Fast Track System were needed for higher rate of bed operation at emergency medical center and more hospital profit.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2011

Purpose: The incidence of multiple trauma is increasing nowadays and is the leading cause of death among young adults. Initial treatment is well known to be crucial in multiple trauma victims. However, many indiscriminate transfers occur due to the lack of a well-organized trauma system in Korea. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the current serious state in which major trauma patients are transferred to the Emergency Medical Center of a university hospital from another medical center. Methods: From November 2009 to October 2010, we performed a retrospective study to analyze the characteristics of patients who visited the Ajou University Medical Center located in Gyeonggi-do. We evaluated the ISS (injury severity score), and a score over 15 point was identified as major trauma. The major trauma patients were separated into two groups according to the visit route, and the characteristics of each group were analyzed. Results: Among the 88,862 patients who visited to the Emergency Medical Center, trauma patients accounted for 19,950, and 343 of them were evaluated as major trauma patients. Among the 343 patients, 170 patients had been transferred from other medical centers. The proportion of males to females was 3.3:1, and the mean ISS was 22.7. The leading cause of trauma was motor vehicle accidents. Of the total 170 patients, 77.6% were admitted to the Intensive care unit and 36.3% underwent surgery. The 170 patients that had been transferred to our medical center, 78.8% were transferred from Gyeonggi-do, 15.3% were transferred from other regions, and 5.9% were miscellaneous. Conclusion: Almost half of the major trauma victims treat at our medical center had been transferred from other medical centers. Establishing a traumatic system, supported by well-organized trauma centers and emergency medical services, that can reduce inappropriate transfers among medical facilities is essential.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 2004

In general, the patients who transferred to the hospital by 119 rescue service at night go to the emergency room(ER) of general hospital rather than that of their nearby the 1st(clinic) and 2nd(local hospital) hospital. And the hospital is mainly selected not by 119 EMST but by patients or his/her conservators. Therefore we had studied retrospectively with emergency situation diary and medical chart for 697 patients of being transferred to one emergency medical center for 6 months since January 2004, and results are as follows. 1. The 280 patients(42.5%) of being transferred hospital at night by 119 rescue service were not emergency case and their average staying time in hospital was about $7.15{\pm}10.06$ minutes. 2. Transfer time was distributed in each time intervals of 1819, 2021, 2223, and 2401 and patients ratio in each intervals were 15.1%, 17.8%, 16.4%, and 15.2%. 3. In response of ambulance, the average time from the spot to the hospital was $14.53{\pm}9.27min$. and average distance of that was $7.95{\pm}9.21km$. 4. Diseases rather than traffic accidents or traumatic injury were main causes of ambulance calling and its value was 533(76.5%), and accidents were mainly occurred in patients' house and its value was 479(68.7%). 5. In time of transfer by 119 rescue service, hospital was mainly selected by patient/conservator and its value was 648(93.0%). In result. the hospital was selected not by EMST but by patient/conservator. 6. The case that the 1st grade EMT was rode in ambulance was 161(23.1%), and the case that 2nd EMT and emergency team member who educated for emergency were rode in ambulance were 504(72.3%). So the number of the 1st grade EMT was short in fire station of Kwangju metropolitan city than other city. 7. The first aids for patients before reaching hospital were limited to oxygen inhalation, airway control, and BLS for maintaining limbs and spine. So it seems to be a simple patients transfer. Consequently, to establish an efficient emergency medical system, it has been thought that it should be advanced a moderate education and public information about the appropriate use of emergency medical system toward citizen, and also need the hospital selection by the patients categorizing standards for 119 rescue service member, securing the 1st grade EMT, appropriate first-aids education, and securing professional human power in emergency room of the Ist(clinic) and 2nd(local hospital) hospital at night.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.63-70
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• 2021

Purpose: The study aimed to collect data from patients who were rejected by emergency requests for transfer to a tertiary hospital through 119 EMT and to analyze the data in the hospital to improve the plan. Methods: We analyzed 4,702 cases of emergency requests made by patients who were rejected by 119 emergency assistance out of the 22,568 patients who visited the emergency medical center in the C area of G metropolitan city from January 2018 through December 2020. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version XX (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). Results: The major medical department with the largest number of such cases was the department of emergency medicine, with 2,519 cases (53.6%). Simple bruises were the most common diagnosis, with 2,819 cases (61.2%). KTAS classification was the highest with 3,562 patients (75.8%) in grade 4. As for the results, 4,084 patients (86.9%) were discharged from the hospital. Conclusion: Most of the patients who were rejected by emergency requests were non-emergency patients and were discharged from the hospital. emergency requests must be rejected at public relations and sites. In addition, the law should be amended to specifically present the reasons for refusal of emergency requests.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.172-175
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• 2019

Although thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has grown to become the standard of care to treat blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), the long-term effects of TEVAR are still unclear. We here present a 72-year-old man with BTAI due to a traffic accident. He successfully underwent TEVAR and was transferred to another rehabilitation hospital 2 months after the accident. However, 1 month later, he underwent gastroscopy with fever and hematemesis and was diagnosed with aorto-esophageal fistula (AEF). After being re-transferred to Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, we tried to convince him to undergo surgical treatment, but he strongly refused. He received palliative care and died due to rupture of the aortic pseudoaneurysm 3 days after the hospital transfer. Fatal complications like AEF may occur after TEVAR, so clinicians need to carefully follow patients who underwent TEVAR.

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

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.687-698
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• 2018

Objective: This study examined the characteristics of suicidal attempters, including pre-hospital patients and those who visited the emergency department. Methods: Suicidal attempters who had been reported to the 119 call center were selected between July 2015 and June 2016. Sex, age, place, methods of suicidal attempt, season, time, and suicide success rate were reviewed in the fire center records. Results: A total 961 suicide attempters were enrolled. Among them, 53.6% were males who had an approximately 2.6 times higher mortality than that of females (9.2%). The most preferred place to commit suicide was the home in both sexes (68.0% in male, 82.8% in female) and the most preferred methods was drug intoxication, particularly pesticide. The method with the highest mortality was hanging and the lowest was self-harm. The season of the highest mortality was spring. The success of suicide and the time variation were similar. Most of the un-transferred patients also selected fatal suicide attempts compared to transfer patients. Conclusion: Unlike previous studies, this study includes information on un-transferred patients. Overall, the probability of death was highest as more than 50 years men chose hanging as a method, which had an influence on the un-transferred patients group.