Past, Present, and Future of Emergency Dispatch Research: A Systematic Literature Review

Introduction: Emergency dispatch is a relatively new field, but the growth of dispatching as a profession, along with raised expectations for help before responders arrive, has led to increased production of and interest in emergency dispatch research. As yet, no systematic review of dispatch research has been conducted. Objective: This study reviewed the existing literature and indicated gaps in the research as well as potentially fruitful extensions of current lines of study. Methods: Dispatch-related terms were used to search for papers in research databases (including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, SciSearch, PsychInfo, and SCOPUS). All research papers with dispatching as the core focus were included. Results: A total 149 papers (114 original research, and 35 seminal concept papers) were identified. A vast majority dealt with medical dispatching (as opposed to police or fire dispatching). Four major issues emerged from the early history of emergency dispatch that continue to dominate dispatch studies: dispatch as first point of care, standardization of the dispatching process, resource allocation, and best practices for dispatching. Conclusion: Substantial peer-reviewed research does exist in dispatch studies. However, a lack of consistent metrics, the near-nonexistence of research in fire and police dispatching, and a relative lack of studies in many areas of interest indicate a need for increased participation in research by communication center administrators and others “on the ground” in emergency dispatch, as well as increased collaboration between research organizations and operations personnel.