Vast majority of patients have chosen not to go to the hospital after emergency procedures conducted by ambulance crew at the scene of the incident due to the significant improvement in their condition after receiving the initial treatment, a recent study has revealed.
The study employed a qualitative analysis method, conducting phone interviews with 210 patients who requested pre-hospital emergency care from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) ambulance service between June 15 and August 1, 2023, but opted not to be transported to the hospital.
Participants in the study, which explored patient well-being following their decision not to be transported to the hospital after an emergency call, reported improvements such as pain relief, cessation of bleeding, stabilisation of vital signs, and overall symptom improvement. They also expressed a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by the ambulance service of HMC. The study was published on the QScience platform, an online resource by Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press, specialised in publishing high-quality scientific research with global academic publishing standards.
Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported the study found that after declining to move to the hospital, over 73% of participants chose not to seek additional medical care and remained at home following such initial treatment. A small percentage (3%) called the emergency number 999 again after their initial refusal, indicating that their symptoms either did not improve or worsened, necessitating further attention. Around 20.5% of the participants sought other healthcare options, such as the primary healthcare centres or private clinics, using various transportation methods like private vehicles or ride-sharing services.
Regarding service satisfaction, the study reported that the vast majority (93.75%) expressed high satisfaction, with only a very small percentage (1.03%) expressing dissatisfaction. Language barriers were rarely an issue, with 90.63% of participants reporting no communication challenges, reflecting a generally smooth interaction with emergency services.
The study highlighted five key themes: motivations for using emergency services, reasons for declining going to hospital, subsequent steps after declining moving to the hospital, satisfaction with the service, and language barriers.
Common reasons for emergency calls included pain-related issues such as dental problems, headaches, abdominal pain, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Minor injuries, particularly those resulting from traffic accidents, falls, and cuts, were also prevalent. The study noted that these findings agree with the previous researches indicating that most emergency calls are related to low-risk cases. General health concerns like fever, dizziness, and vomiting were less frequent but still notable, alongside rare but significant cases like pregnancy complications and renal colic.
Mental health issues, including anxiety, seizures, and dizziness, were also reported, reflecting the growing role of ambulance teams in the mental health care. Cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure and palpitations, were noted in some cases. Respiratory issues, including asthma and allergic reactions, were also common, supporting earlier studies indicating that respiratory problems are among the leading causes of emergency calls.
The study stressed that the ambulance service provides life-saving care to patients with critical conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, seizures, choking, chest pain, loss of consciousness, difficulty breathing, and severe allergic reactions.
The ambulance service receives around 1,200 calls daily, deploying ambulances from 57 base points. Statistics indicate that around 20% of calls received through the National Command Centre for ambulance services involve minor cases.
