Intra-rater/inter-rater reliability of the air transport minimum data set

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medical Services
• Aviation Safety
• Health Informatics

Background:

• The Air Transport Minimum Data Set (ATMDS) is crucial for time-related data in rotor-wing transport.
• Reliable data collection is essential for safety, medical care, regulatory compliance, and financial management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the ATMDS in a pilot study.
• To identify specific terms within the ATMDS that pose challenges for consistent data collection.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving three communication specialists at a rural rotor-wing air transport service.
• Analysis of time data elements from 11 rotor-wing transports, with repeated data collection by subjects using audio recordings.

Main Results:

• Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability varied significantly across different ATMDS terms.
• Terms such as 'Time Arrive Bedside' and 'Time Depart Bedside' were identified as particularly problematic.
• Calculated time intervals showed less agreement compared to specific event times.

Conclusions:

• The pilot study, despite its small sample size, highlights the need for clearer definitions of ATMDS terms.
• Further research is required to understand and improve the calculation of time intervals within the ATMDS.