Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study

Natascha Bohnstedt‑Pedersen; Gitte Linderoth; Barbara Helios; Helle Collatz Christensen; Britta Thomsen; Lisbeth  Bekker; Jannie Gram; Ulla Vaeggemose; Tine Bennedsen Gehrt

doi:10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4

Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study

Natascha Bohnstedt‑Pedersen^*, Gitte Linderoth, Barbara Helios, Helle Collatz Christensen, Britta Thomsen, Lisbeth Bekker, Jannie Gram, Ulla Vaeggemose, Tine Bennedsen Gehrt^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Clinical Medicine - Præhospitalet

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems beneficial for patient assessment and dispatcher-assisted first aid. However, the EMS dispatchers’ experiences with and perceptions of using video during emergency calls are largely unexplored. Methods: In 2023, a nationwide survey study was conducted in Denmark, which is covered by five Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers. All Danish EMS dispatchers were invited to participate in the study. The survey explored the dispatchers’ experience with using video during emergency calls, the perception of their own video use, and the process of implementing video as a new tool in their working procedure. Main questions were answered on a scale from 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate more agreement. Results: Of the 183 EMS dispatchers employed during the study period, 78% completed the survey. They found video easy to use (median = 7) and found video supportive in guidance and dispatch when the patient’s problem was unclear (median = 7), but did not find video suitable for all emergency calls and expressed that complications with the technology was a barrier for using video. The EMS dispatchers were least likely to agree that they choose not to use video due to the risk of being emotionally affected by what they might see (median = 1). When dividing the sample based on EMS dispatcher’s gender, age, seniority, and educational background, generally few differences between groups were found. Conclusions: Live video during emergency calls is generally experienced as a useful supplemental tool by EMS dispatchers in Denmark, and the greatest self-perceived barriers for using video were not finding video suitable for all situations and the technology.

Original language	English
Article number	1442
Journal	BMC Health Services Research
Volume	24
Issue	1
ISSN	1472-6963
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4
Publication status	Published - Nov 2024

Keywords

EMS dispatcher
Emergency Medical Dispatch
Emergency Medical Service
Telehealth
Telemedicine
Telephone triage
Video

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10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Medical dispatchers{\textquoteright} experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study",

abstract = "Background: Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems beneficial for patient assessment and dispatcher-assisted first aid. However, the EMS dispatchers{\textquoteright} experiences with and perceptions of using video during emergency calls are largely unexplored. Methods: In 2023, a nationwide survey study was conducted in Denmark, which is covered by five Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers. All Danish EMS dispatchers were invited to participate in the study. The survey explored the dispatchers{\textquoteright} experience with using video during emergency calls, the perception of their own video use, and the process of implementing video as a new tool in their working procedure. Main questions were answered on a scale from 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate more agreement. Results: Of the 183 EMS dispatchers employed during the study period, 78% completed the survey. They found video easy to use (median = 7) and found video supportive in guidance and dispatch when the patient{\textquoteright}s problem was unclear (median = 7), but did not find video suitable for all emergency calls and expressed that complications with the technology was a barrier for using video. The EMS dispatchers were least likely to agree that they choose not to use video due to the risk of being emotionally affected by what they might see (median = 1). When dividing the sample based on EMS dispatcher{\textquoteright}s gender, age, seniority, and educational background, generally few differences between groups were found. Conclusions: Live video during emergency calls is generally experienced as a useful supplemental tool by EMS dispatchers in Denmark, and the greatest self-perceived barriers for using video were not finding video suitable for all situations and the technology.",

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author = "Natascha Bohnstedt‑Pedersen and Gitte Linderoth and Barbara Helios and Christensen, {Helle Collatz} and Britta Thomsen and Lisbeth Bekker and Jannie Gram and Ulla Vaeggemose and Gehrt, {Tine Bennedsen}",

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doi = "10.1186/s12913-024-11939-4",

language = "English",

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Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study. / Bohnstedt‑Pedersen, Natascha; Linderoth, Gitte; Helios, Barbara et al.
In: BMC Health Services Research, Vol. 24, No. 1, 1442, 11.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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T1 - Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls

T2 - a national questionnaire study

AU - Bohnstedt‑Pedersen, Natascha

AU - Linderoth, Gitte

AU - Helios, Barbara

AU - Christensen, Helle Collatz

AU - Thomsen, Britta

AU - Bekker, Lisbeth

AU - Gram, Jannie

AU - Vaeggemose, Ulla

AU - Gehrt, Tine Bennedsen

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - Background: Telehealth has become increasingly essential in healthcare provision, also in the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where live video is implemented as a supplemental tool to assess and triage medical emergency calls. So far, using video for emergency calls seems beneficial for patient assessment and dispatcher-assisted first aid. However, the EMS dispatchers’ experiences with and perceptions of using video during emergency calls are largely unexplored. Methods: In 2023, a nationwide survey study was conducted in Denmark, which is covered by five Emergency Medical Dispatch Centers. All Danish EMS dispatchers were invited to participate in the study. The survey explored the dispatchers’ experience with using video during emergency calls, the perception of their own video use, and the process of implementing video as a new tool in their working procedure. Main questions were answered on a scale from 1 to 7, where higher scores indicate more agreement. Results: Of the 183 EMS dispatchers employed during the study period, 78% completed the survey. They found video easy to use (median = 7) and found video supportive in guidance and dispatch when the patient’s problem was unclear (median = 7), but did not find video suitable for all emergency calls and expressed that complications with the technology was a barrier for using video. The EMS dispatchers were least likely to agree that they choose not to use video due to the risk of being emotionally affected by what they might see (median = 1). When dividing the sample based on EMS dispatcher’s gender, age, seniority, and educational background, generally few differences between groups were found. Conclusions: Live video during emergency calls is generally experienced as a useful supplemental tool by EMS dispatchers in Denmark, and the greatest self-perceived barriers for using video were not finding video suitable for all situations and the technology.

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KW - Emergency Medical Dispatch

KW - Emergency Medical Service

KW - Telehealth

KW - Telemedicine

KW - Telephone triage

KW - Video

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Medical dispatchers’ experience with live video during emergency calls: a national questionnaire study

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Keywords

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