Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Evaluating emergency medical services: controlling the rising cost of saving lives
Jerry Davis1, Roseann Kuhns, Douglas J Watson
1Auburn University, USA.
Abstract:
A combination of recent changes in the way Emergency Medical Services are reimbursed by Medicare for ambulance services and escalating costs have prompted many EMS providers to seek new ways to meet the needs of the communities they serve in a more cost-effective manner. This article reports one such study of a county in the Southeastern United States with a population of over 100,000 distributed over an area of 600 square miles. The study used industrial techniques, including a combination of historical data analysis and time studies, to recommend ways to cut costs without adversely affecting either the emergency coverage or patient case provided. Based on usage data, reducing the number of service units during time of least demand was suggested. The time studies indicated that it might be possible to combine some jobs (e.g. billing personnel and dispatchers), The usage data also showed that the existing geographical distribution of the units matched demand. The study demonstrated that industrial engineering techniques can be usefully employed in the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of public services.
Related Concept Videos
Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation III: AED Use
Standards of Care I
Introduction Cardiac Emergencies
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation I: Adult
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
