@article{ref1,
title="Utilization of warning lights and siren based on hospital time-critical interventions",
journal="Prehospital and disaster medicine",
year="2010",
author="Marques-Baptista, Andreia and Ohman-Strickland, Pamela A. and Baldino, Kimberly T. and Prasto, Michael and Merlin, Mark A.",
volume="25",
number="4",
pages="335-339",
abstract="Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the time saved by usage of lights and siren (L&S) during emergency medical transport and measure the total number of time-critical hospital interventions gained by this time difference. Methods: A retrospective study was performed of all advanced life support (ALS) transports using lights and siren to this university emergency department during a three-week period. Consecutive times were measured for 112 transports and compared with measured transport times for a personal vehicle traveling the same day of the week and time of day without lights and siren. The time-critical hospital interventions are defined as procedures or treatments that could not be performed in the prehospital setting requiring a physician. The project assessed whether the patients received the hospital interventions within the average time saved using lights and siren transport. Results: The average difference in time with versus without L&S was -2.62 minutes (95% CI: -2.60- -2.63, paired t-test p <0.0001). The average transport time with L&S was 14.5 ±7.9 minutes (min) (1 standard deviation/minute (min), range = 1-36 min.). The average transport time without L&S was 17.1 ±8.3 min (range = 1-40 min). Of the 112 charts evaluated, five patients (4.5%) received time-critical hospital interventions. No patients received time-critical interventions within the time saved by utilizing lights and siren. Longer distances did not result in time saved with lights and siren. Conclusions: Limiting lights and siren use to the patients requiring hospital interventions will decrease the risks of injury and death, while adding the benefit of time saved in these critical patients.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1049-023X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}