Objective: The inappropriate utilization of ambulance services for non-emergent situations represents a global concern, negatively impacting response times, healthcare costs, and the workload of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of ambulance use by analyzing physical examination findings, hospitalization rates, and mortality outcomes among patients transported to the emergency department (ED) by ambulance.
Material and Methods: This prospective study included patients aged 14 years and older who were transported to the ED of Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital by ambulance teams between September 1, 2015, and September 30, 2015. Exclusion criteria comprised children under 14 with non-traumatic complaints, pregnancy-related conditions, isolated trauma cases, and patients referred from other facilities. Data on demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, and patient outcomes were collected and subjected to statistical analysis.
Results: Among the 17,997 patients presenting to the ED, 4.4% were transported by ambulance, of whom 60.4% were male. The discharge rate was 67.3%, the intensive care unit admission rate was 12%, and the ward admission rate was 15.9%. A total of 48.3% of patients were categorized as critical based on ED triage systems. Despite this classification, the majority of patients exhibited normal vital signs and physical examination findings.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that most patients transported to the ED by ambulance had normal vital signs and were subsequently discharged. Addressing the issue of ambulance misuse through targeted public education campaigns and enhanced access to primary care services is imperative to ensure the optimal utilization of EMS resources.
Keywords: Ambulance, emergency department, diagnosis, discharge, triage
