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Purpose: Global warming is one of the critical problems affecting health, society, and the economy. High temperatures are linked to an increase in heat-related illnesses, which have significantly impacted the public health system, particularly emergency medical services (EMS). Analyzing the pattern of heat-related illness cases in EMS can improve resource utilization and preparedness within the public health system. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on EMS data from Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand, covering the summer months (February to May) from 2020 to 2024. Patients with heat-related illnesses were identified in the EMS database using the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) version 2019, specifically codes under "T67 Effects of Heat and Light", which include heat stroke, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat fatigue. Results: A total of 136 EMS operations from the hospital's database were analyzed. In the summer 2024 group, 95.7% (N=44) of the patients were male. The majority of EMS triage cases required resuscitation (P = 0.020). Outdoor activity was identified as a significant factor related to heat illness, with rates of 83.3%, 92.9%, 93.3%, 97.1%, and 93.5% over the five years of the study. The activation time was 1.30 minutes for the summer of 2024 and 1.24 minutes for the summer of 2023. Notably, the average scene time in the summer 2024 group was significantly longer at 25.2 minutes, compared to 12.0 minutes in the summer 2020 group (P< 0.001). Conclusion: Outdoor activity was the most significant risk factor associated with increased heat-related illnesses. Other contributing factors included male gender, age between 20– 40 years, scene temperatures above 35°C, and prolonged scene times exceeding 15 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The "Smart Emergency Call Point" is a device designed for requesting assistance and facilitating rapid responses to emergencies. The functionality of smart emergency call points has evolved to include features as real-time photo transmission and communication capabilities for both staff and emergency personnel. These devices are being used to request Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on university campuses. Despite these developments, there has been a lack of previous studies demonstrating significant advantages of integrating smart emergency call points into EMS systems. Study Objective: The primary goal of this study was to compare the response times of EMS between traditional phone calls and the utilization of smart emergency call points located on university campuses. Additionally, the study aimed to provide insights into the characteristics of smart emergency call points as a secondary objective. Methods: This retrospective database analysis made use of information acquired from Thailand's EMS at Srinagarind Hospital. The data were gathered over a period of four years, specifically from January 2019 through January 2022. The study included two groups: the first group used the phone number 1669 to request EMS assistance, while the second group utilized the smart emergency call point. The primary focus was on the response times. Additionally, the study documented the characteristics of the smart emergency call points that were used in the study. Results: Among the 184 EMS operations included in this study, 60.9% (N = 56) involved females in the smart emergency call point group. Notably, the smart emergency call point group showed a higher frequency of operations between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm when compared to the 1669 call group (P =.020). In dispatch triage, the majority of emergency call points were categorized as non-urgent, in contrast to the phone group for 1669 which were primarily cases categorized as urgent (P =.010). The average response time for the smart emergency call point group was significantly shorter, at 6.01 minutes, compared to the phone number 1669 group, which had an average response time of 9.14 minutes (P <.001). Conclusion: In the context of calling for EMS on a university campus, the smart emergency call points demonstrate a significantly faster response time than phone number 1669 in Thailand. Furthermore, the system also offers the capability to request emergency assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The smart glasses were implemented as an innovative communication tool to enhance effectiveness in the field. The traditional mode of communication for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was radio, which had significant restrictions, primarily that they were unable to transmit any visual data. To enhance efficiency, the smart glasses were used for a more accurate assessment of the condition of patients during transportation. At this time, however, no prior study has shown significant benefits of employing smart glasses into EMS. Study Objective: The primary objective of this study is to compare the duration of patient care in an ambulance between the use and non-use of smart glasses. The secondary objective is to identify the characteristics of data communication between the ambulance and the hospital. Methods: This retrospective study utilized data gathered from closed-circuit television (CCTV) in ambulances at Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand. The data were collected over a six-month period, specifically from July through December 2021. The study included two groups: the smart glasses group and no smart glasses groups, both used during EMS operations. The primary data collected focused on the duration of patient care in the ambulance. Additionally, the type and characteristics of data transfers via smart glasses during EMS operations were also recorded. Results: Out of the 256 EMS operations included in this study, 53.1% (N = 68) of the participants in the smart glasses group were male. The majority of operations were performed during the afternoon shift in both groups. The average patient care time in the smart glasses group was 10.07 minutes, while it was 5.10 minutes in the no smart glasses group (P <.001), indicating a significant difference. Visual data communication between the ambulance and the hospital via smart glasses predominantly involved vital signs (100.0%), physical examination (56.3%), and neurological examination (42.2%). The use of audio data from the hospital to the ambulance primarily included taking additional patient history (26.6%) and performing physical examinations (19.5%). Conclusion: The implementation of smart glasses in EMS operations resulted in an increase in patient care time in the ambulance. Furthermore, the use of smart glasses facilitated an effective channel of real-time two-way communication between the ambulance and the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The motorcycle ambulance is used for quick access to patients. The response time to reach the patient takes less time than with a van ambulance. Moreover, accidents involving ambulances tend to be higher. However, at present, there is no study regarding the appropriate situation used of motorcycle ambulances in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Thailand. Study Objective: This study aims to optimize the travel distance and the operation time of motorcycle ambulances used. Methods: This study was a prospective, randomized controlled study at the EMS unit of Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand. The data collection period was from November 2021 through May 2022. All data involving dispatch of both ambulances in need were collected. Results: A total of 2,398 cases of EMS operation were examined. The mean age of the patients in the motorcycle ambulance group was 42.5 (SD = 6.5) years, and 51.3% (n = 616) were male. The response time for motorcycle ambulances and van ambulances during the operation time between 6:00am-9:00am was 6.2 minutes and 9.1 minutes, respectively. The response times for motorcycle ambulances and van ambulances regarding distance traveled from 0-5km were 4.2 minutes and 7.5 minutes, respectively (P <.001); distance traveled from 5-10km were 6.3 minutes and 8.2 minutes, respectively (P =.010). Conclusion: The motorcycle ambulance can reach patients faster than the ambulance at the operation time from 6:00am-9:00am and 3:00pm-6:00pm. This study focused on the distance less than 10 kilometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Environmental and genetic factors may both affect the risk of vascular cognitive impairment developing after a stroke. To identify factors affecting this risk, the cognitive status of 121 patients [...]

Introduction: To enhance the efficiency, it is essential to understand the patterns of service users and develop policies that facilitate effective personnel and resource management. This study aimed to compare the characteristic and outcomes of patients who were transferred to emergency department (ED) by emergency medical services (EMS) and patients transported by other means., Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand, over a 5-year period from 2017-2021. The baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes of patients who were transported to ED using EMS and Non-EMS were gathered and compared using STATA software., Results: The study included 15,501 patients with the median age of 51 (interquartile range (IQR): 23-71) years who were referred by EMS over the five-year period (51.72% male). EMS patients had significantly higher median age (51 (23 - 71) vs. 37 (21 - 60); p < 0.001) with male preference (p < 0.001). In the EMS group, the triage level 1 (need for resuscitation) was higher than the non-EMS group (p < 0.001), most of the patients referred following trauma (p < 0.001), and the frequency of cardiac arrest was considerably higher than non-EMS group (2.54% vs 0.05%; p < 0.001). Patients in the EMS group received a higher number of blood tests (p < 0.001), plain radiographic exams (p < 0.001), computerized tomography (CT) scans (p < 0.001), and complex procedures (p < 0.001) than the non-EMS group. The EMS group had a greater number of hospital admissions (p < 0.001) and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (p < 0.001) compared to the non-EMS group. The EMS group exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate compared to the non-EMS group (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The population utilizing EMS services had higher median age, higher frequency of emergency cases and trauma related complaint, higher need for treatment interventions and imaging procedures, higher rate of hospital and ICU admissions, as well as higher rate of mortality compared to the non-EMS group., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.