Investigation of the Influence of Active Feedback and Performance Monitoring on Response Times in Prehospital Emergency Care: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

Background: This study investigates the impact of an active feedback system on departure times within the emergency medical services (EMS) in the Schleswig-Flensburg region, Germany. Given the federated organization of EMS in Germany and the established response time goal of 12 minutes in Schleswig-Holstein, the significance of response times for survival rates in emergencies, particularly cardiac arrest, is emphasized. The research aims to assess the effects of such a system on departure times.

Methods: The analysis is based on anonymized and filtered data provided by the Schleswig-Flensburg EMS, utilizing 5.510 records after exclusion criteria were applied. The dataset spans two comparison periods before and after the implementation of the feedback system. The study focuses on three research questions regarding the impacts of the feedback system, alarm codes and the use of lights and sirens.

Results: The implementation of the feedback system led to a significant reduction in departure times, from an average of 76,29 seconds to 51,85 seconds. A renewed analysis of the data in 2024 confirms the long-term success of the measure. The evaluation also reveals that the choice of alarm code significantly affects dispatch times. No significant effects were observed in the use of lights and sirens.

Discussion: The findings underscore the effectiveness of the active feedback system in reducing departure times. The robustness of the statistical methods, despite the lack of normal distribution in the data, is highlighted, along with the importance of alarm codes on dispatch behavior. The lack of significance regarding the use of special rights and right of way is discussed in relation to further correlations.

Conclusions: The study demonstrates that active feedback is a crucial factor in optimizing EMS departure times. Future research is recommended to focus on validating these results and investigating specific mechanisms for further reducing departure times.