Dispatcher Criteria and Therapeutic Measurement by Air Emergency Ambulance of Kurdistan Province, Iran, 2017

Background: How to manage patients, transmission times, and therapeutic measurement executed during air transmission can improve training, protocols, and management decisions. The current study aimed at investigating the dispatch criteria and the way of handling patients during transport by air emergency medical services of Kurdistan Province, Iran, in 2017. Materials and Methods: In the current study, information of patients transported by air emergency ambulance of Kurdistan Province in 2017 was collected from the recorded mission forms. To analyze the information, version 12 of STATA software was employed. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the qualitative variables and draw frequency distribution table and mean and standard deviation to utilize quantitative variables. Results: Out of 50 transported patients, trauma caused by traffic accidents was the most important cause of patient transport (38%). In terms of clinical symptoms, weakness and lethargy and decreased consciousness were the most common symptoms. The most important therapeutic measures executed during transport were oxygen therapy, various body fixations, and serum therapy, respectively. The average time spent at scene was 10.7 minutes and the mean total mission time was 93.72 minutes with a standard deviation of 45.53. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that the air emergency performance of Kurdistan Province was desirable in terms of dispatch criteria, time of transport and treatment during transportation, but there were weaknesses in the administration of medications during transportation and recording missions and measures in the specific sheets (forms).