Emergency Medical Service
Emergency medical service (EMS) refers to a version of emergency service that is offered to people in need of immediate medical care wherever they are and/or transporting those in critical conditions to the nearest emergency room.
For a long while emergency medical service was what was the ambulance service (Wilkinson * Skinner, 2000). The difference is that emergency medical service can offer medical care on the scene to stabilize the patients without having to rush them to hospital first. The EMS is affiliated with hospitals in the area, more specifically the emergency room.
EMS officers are medically trained to take care of dire medical situations that would have negative effects if any time is wasted (Wilkinson & Skinner, 2000). EMS is known by many other names in different countries such as life squad, emergency service among others. The main objective of EMS is to cater for present conditions in an individual or to transport that particular individual to the nearest point where they can receive medical care.
In some countries, EMS transports individuals from facilities of specialized care to other health care facilities; that is, if they no longer require the services of the specialized care facility. They may also be used to transport individuals from one health care facility to another (White, Williams & Greenberg, 1996). Where the services required of the EMS are the ones stated above, it is not the members of the community that contact them but the professionals in those facilities.
This service mainly benefits those individuals who are incapable of transporting themselves to a point of health care due to either injuries or sicknesses that may impale them.
When an individual wants to get in touch with the EMS, they contact them using an emergency phone number that connects them to the facility. From there a unit is then dispatched to respond to the distress call of the individual. (White, Williams & Greenberg, 1996)
EMS in some cases may be required to assist in technical rescues such as rescue from drowning or search and rescue operations. The necessary qualifications required for EMS officials vary from country to country. Some may not require the ambulance driver to have any training in medical care. Others require their officers to have at least training in basic first aid. Fewer countries require the ambulance to have at least one physician. (McSwain, 1991)
Emergency medical service has evolved over the years and has become more helpful to people and more efficient. It also helps reduce backlog in hospitals somewhat because they have the authority to offer medical services to those they are transporting (McSwain, 1991). This helps stabilize critical patients thereby reducing chances of the individual dying or losing a limb among other repercussions.
They also prevent backlog in hospitals by administering first aid to individuals whose condition isn’t too serious therefore eliminating the need for them to go to hospital. This has by far helped improve the medical system as well as providing employment for more medically trained individuals.
Basically emergency medical services are meant to assist individuals from all over with medical emergencies and can’t get themselves to a hospital as well as providing medical care for individuals for present symptoms to make the situation less dire. Emergency medical service is a great asset to the medical community.
References:
White K. L., Williams F.T, & Greenberg G.B. (1996). “ The Ecology of Medical Care. 1961.” Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine 73 (1): 187–205; discussion: 6–12.
Wilkinson D. A. & Skinner W.M. (2000). “Primary Trauma Care Manual: A Manual for Trauma Management in District and Remote Locations.” Oxford, U.K.: Primary Trauma Care Foundation.
McSwain N. E. (1991). “Prehospital Emergency Medical Systems and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.” (p 99–107). Norwalk: Appleton & Lange
