Descriptive Analysis of Clinical Encounters by Emergency Medical Services Physicians Using the RE-AIM Framework.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Medical Subspecialties

Background:

• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) medicine is a growing subspecialty.
• Historically, EMS physicians focused on training and protocols, with limited direct patient care.
• There's increasing recognition of the value of direct physician involvement in prehospital care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a volunteer prehospital physician program using the RE-AIM framework.
• Assess the program's public health relevance, sustainability, and population health impact.
• Analyze the role and impact of physicians in prehospital emergency response.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a volunteer prehospital physician program.
• Physicians responded independently to high-acuity calls, offering mentorship.
• Retrospective analysis of dispatch data and electronic medical records over 17 months.

Main Results:

• 9 physicians responded to 482 calls, primarily cardiac arrests, trauma, and chest pain.
• Physicians performed 99 procedures and administered 113 medications.
• The program provided sustainable physician-level care in the prehospital setting.

Conclusions:

• Routine prehospital physician presence enhances patient care with advanced skills.
• The program offers valuable on-scene training and medical control for EMS clinicians.
• This model demonstrates a sustainable approach to integrating physicians into prehospital emergency medical services.